Giants' Antoan Richardson says Mike Shildt yelled expletive that ‘reeked undertones of racism’
Shildt has apologized for his comments, which he said were misinterpreted
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}San Francisco Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson accused San Diego Padres coach Mike Shildt of yelling an expletive during Tuesday night's game between the two teams that "reeked undertones of racism."
Richardson, who is Black, made the accusation after he was ejected in the third inning of San Francisco's 13-2 victory over San Diego.
After the game, Richardson discussed the incident with reporters, which he said started when Shildt, the Padres' third base coach, who is White, approached San Francisco's dugout looking for pitcher Alex Wood.
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San Diego Padres third base coach Mike Shildt, right, speaks at a news conference next to San Francisco Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson before a game in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Giants manager Gabe Kapler came over to "defuse the situation," and Richardson told Wood that Shildt was looking for him. But as Shildt started walking toward third base, he made a final comment that Richardson believes were instructions left for Kapler.
"At that point in time, he yelled, ‘You need to control that motherf---er,’" Richardson told reporters. "I went to the top step and said excuse me? Because I couldn't believe what I heard. At that point in time, [Greg] Gibson, the crew chief, decided to toss me from the game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I say this because his words were disproportionately unwarranted and reeked undertones of racism when he referred to me as 'that motherf---er,' as if to be controlled or a piece of property or enslaved. I think it's just really important we understand what happened tonight."
Miami Marlins first baseman Jesus Aguilar, left, congratulates San Francisco Giants' Joc Pederson, middle, after his base hit during the ninth inning of a game in San Francisco April 9, 2022. At right is Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
"The second part that is me being tossed by that umpire empowered this coach to continue to have conversations like that with people like me. That's really unfortunate that that happened tonight," Richardson added.
Kapler told reporters he did not hear what Shildt said, but he trusts Richardson’s judgment and believes his ejection was not warranted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I trust Antoan's judgment 100%," Kapler said, via ESPN. "I know that Antoan was not out of control at all and that anything that was said to insinuate that he was is totally inappropriate. He didn't instigate any part of this."
The ejection paved the way for Alyssa Nakken, who made MLB history as the first female coach on the field in a regular-season game.
GIANTS ALYSSA NAKKEN BECOMES 1ST MLB FEMALE COACH ON FIELD
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Wednesday morning, Richardson and Shildt reportedly cleared the air, and they were seen embracing.
"Shildty and I had an opportunity to talk this morning and kind of revisit some of the instances from last night," Richardson said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. "After we discussed, I'll make it very clear that in no way do I believe that Shildty is a racist. What I was trying to do was just bring awareness to how words impact certain communities even though they may not have ill intent."
Shildt managed the St. Louis Cardinals the past three seasons before he was fired following the end of the 2021 season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}San Diego Padres third base coach Mike Shildt, back to camera, hugs San Francisco Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson after they spoke at a news conference before a game in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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"Clearly, it was misinterpreted. I think he [Richardson] knows this, and my value as a human is to love people and that is exactly what I represent, so I appreciate him clearing that up for myself and my family, because it's really important that that is clear," Shildt said. "I don't know Antoan's heritage, I can't walk in his shoes, I can only have empathy and love, which I do have and have always had in my life."