Torii Hunter: Black Latinos Are 'Impostors'

Torii Hunter has drawn attention for calling dark-skinned Latino baseball players "impostors." In an interview that USA Today published Tuesday, the Angels outfielder discussed the changing demographics in baseball.

"People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African American. They're not us. They're impostors," he told Bob Nightengale. He added, "As African-American players, we have a theory that baseball can go get an imitator and pass them off as us.... It's like, 'Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?'"

Click here for more. Hunter has actively promoted baseball through the Torii Hunter Project, which aims to "increase the opportunities for America's youth to enjoy the game of baseball in inner cities and beyond, and to provide an equal playing field for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity and skill level."

In 2009, Hunter won the Branch Rickey Award for his work with children.

Comments

[Langston Hughes]

12:04 PM on 03/15/2010

His comment is so ignorant and uninformed.

I guess he's unaware of the fact that among the first BLACK players in Major League Baseball were several Black Latinos.

I guess he's unaware that several of the greatest BLACK baseball players of all time in Major League Baseball were Black Latinos.

I guess he's unaware that there are MORE BLACK PEOPLE in the rest of the Americas than in the United States.

I guess he's unaware of his own gross ignorance, but he wouldn't be the first. This country keeps people ignorant about the rest of the world, and that includes black people being ignorant about other black people.

Very sad. He needs some education, and fast.

[lisakaz2]

09:40 PM on 03/15/2010

I chalk it up to a form of cultural arrogance which I thought only Bu$hies were capable of.

[mlr710]

06:22 AM on 03/15/2010

http://sportsonmymind.com/2010/03/12/note-get-off-torii-hunters-back/

sigh......it would have been to much to expect some people to read the full interview.

[c1605]

08:29 AM on 03/15/2010

If you are referring to the information in the link, I am sorry to inform you that it still does not make any sense. And what type of analysis was that?

[osuna1313]

05:53 PM on 03/26/2010

Agreed. That link just proved even MORE how ridiculous Hunter's statements were.

[pbennett13]

02:00 AM on 03/15/2010

This story has been out over a week, and yet not one "afro-latino" player has called out Tori for insulting their "blackness", or for being ignorant of history and of slavery sending Africans to P.R., D.R., Cuba, and South America.

and that they retain many African traditions in their cultures

and that they suffer the same racism both in their home countries, and here in the U.S.

Not one....... interesting.

[lisakaz2]

09:41 PM on 03/15/2010

Maybe not called him out publicly. I think a Latino owns the Angels. I doubt the Angels didn't say anything about it.

[Harrier]

11:40 AM on 03/14/2010

Funny, but I have lived in the South and never known a racist ever admit they were racists. In fact the most racist were always amazed I would eve ask the question.

[ChiGuy]

11:34 PM on 03/13/2010

He's not being paid for his intellect.
If he were, he'd be broke.

[Auditman666]

10:50 PM on 03/13/2010

How does Torii reconcile what he said with the aim of his foundation which is to "increase the opportunities for America's youth to enjoy the game of baseball in inner cities and beyond, and to provide an equal playing field for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity and skill level."

Maybe the foundation should put a qualifier in their so it reads "increase the opportunities for America's youth to enjoy the game of baseball in inner cities and beyond, and to provide an equal playing field for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity and skill level except for those who are black and their first language is Spanish."

[wdmax]

07:41 PM on 03/13/2010

There is no requirement for professional athletes to be intelligent.

Looks like Tori (isn't that a girls name) Hunter has forgotten much of the history concerning minorities in professional sports. It is becoming more apparent to me that racism lies in the hands of those that have power. Not long ago "African American" pro athletes did not have much power and because of it were not allowed to play professional sports. Now that there has been a shift in that power it is truly regrettable that we see those that were once oppressed to become the oppressors.

African American, African Latino, Jamaican, African Brazilians, etc... Tori you may want to visit the library concerning the slave trade and how it has changed the demographics of many countries. They (those impostors) are more like you than they are different.

Hey Tori (isn't that a girls name) Hunter if you can't compete then you will be replaced. No one is going to care what your ethnic origins are if you can play the game better than anyone else. Man up and shut up.

[CristinaM]

10:52 PM on 03/13/2010

Doesn't this guy know there were no black people in America before Columbus? HELLO!! They were all slaves brought to the different colonies (Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch), so what is supposed to be the difference? They all suffered the same treatment, humiliation and lack of freedom, what makes African Americans the sole representatives of the oppressed class? It was equally horrible throughout the Americas.
This guy is simply an ignorant.

[zzeltar]

02:31 PM on 03/13/2010

Tori stop running into the wall, it's making your brain fuzzy.

[OnlyIfIHaveTo]

10:12 AM on 03/13/2010

I read his statement and understand the context but could you only imagine the uproar if this were said by Manny or Vlad in the same manner about black players?

[ColoradoBrad]

01:31 AM on 03/13/2010

It's too bad that he made these comments, Hunter is a great player and is doing great things for baseball. The reason there are no many African American players in MLB anymore is because baseball is not as popular as football and basketball in their communities.

[JNarragansett]

12:41 PM on 03/12/2010

"I have a dream that one day baseball players will be judged not on their ability to play the game, or the content of their character, but by a combination of their color of skin and country of origin."

[Berkeleylefty]

12:51 AM on 03/12/2010

African Americans do not hold the monopoly on being victims of discrimination. Why, it looks like they also discriminate against..... fellow African Americans, who happen to be Latino-African-Americans...What's next? Spanish-Speaking-Latino-African-Americans discriminating against English-Speaking-Latino- African- Americans? All these hyphens..... I need a Caribbean-American drink...

[ZimboChick]

12:47 PM on 03/12/2010

hahahahahahahahahah u made me laugh so hard.

*goes off to concoct a Zimbabwean-worldwide drink*

[deevee]

04:16 AM on 03/14/2010

He doesn't represent everyone of "they."

[BillAnthony]

11:28 PM on 03/11/2010

Not to knock any particular organization, but I heard today that the St Louis Cardinals will almost certainly have just as many African American players on their opening day roster as they had prior to Jackie Robinson's arrival in the Big Leagues. That would of course be zero, as might several other clubs. There are likely many factors involved in this trend, but it wouldn't surprise if at the professional baseball entry level, players from so-called third world countries are considered by management cheaper and more "pliable" to develop. Torii just might be on to something.

[WendellPerrySociety]

01:34 PM on 03/13/2010

Amen

[Pyroclast]

02:23 PM on 03/15/2010

is it maybe because all the African Americans want to get rich and famous, while the Latino counterparts just want to have some decent future?

[merry02]

10:31 PM on 03/11/2010

i think he's correct and i'm glad he spoke up. black is not black is not black.

the reality is that most of these "dark skinned" dominican players do not consider themselves "black." in fact, few latin americans who might actually be black would call themselves such. they run away from that categorization. they want nothing to do with it. so, there's nothing wrong if a black american chooses to place them outside of that particular circle. they do it themselves all the time, particularly when it benefits them.

so, it should not offend anyone when a black american makes this distinction. they make it all the time. get over it. black americans do form their own ethnic group ya know?

[c1605]

10:38 AM on 03/13/2010

Unbelievable. Why are you still caught up in the "they don't think they black" thing? Have you learned nothing from the Obama election and the overwhelming support of the Latino community? Get over the '60s. Race is a social construction, not a biological reality, and nobody has a copyright on blackness. There is not one way to be black. Immigrants of color do not have to satisfy the racial standards established in the African-American community. They have had a different history and development. And by the way, U.S. blacks also use the Latino community when it is politically and demographically convenient. So stop presenting the same old picture of African-Americans as a victimized, used and rejected group all the time. Let's start an honest conversation.

[Pyroclast]

02:25 PM on 03/15/2010

merry, you are just so very merry.
ignorant and enjoying it, have to love it.

[cre8ive]

07:48 PM on 03/11/2010

Unbelievable. Some people should not say anything without an editor.