A Baltimore Orioles outfielder said that he was the target of racial slurs from Boston Red Sox fans during a game at Fenway Park, Monday.
Adam Jones told USA Today he was called the N-word several times and had a bag of peanuts thrown at him during the game, amounting to what he said was one of the worst experiences of his career.
"A disrespectful fan threw a bag of peanuts at me," Jones told a USA Today reporter. "I was called the N-word a handful of times tonight. Thanks. Pretty awesome."
Jones, who has played for the MLB for 12 years, said this was not the first time he's experienced racism while playing in Boston's Fenway Park.
"It’s different," he said. “Very unfortunate. I heard there was 59 or 60 ejections tonight in the ballpark. It is what it is, right. I just go out and play baseball. It’s unfortunate that people need to resort to those type of epithets to degrade another human being. I’m trying to make a living for myself and for my family."
Red Sox President Sam Kennedy released a statement Tuesday apologizing to Jones and the Orioles, adding that the organization is reviewing the incident.
"The Red Sox want to publicly apologize to Adam Jones and the entire Orioles organization for what occurred at Fenway Park Monday night," Kennedy said in a statement. "No player should have an object thrown at him on the playing field, nor be subjected to any kind of racism at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have zero tolerance for such inexcusable behavior, and our entire organization and our fans are sickened by the conduct of an ignorant few."
Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker called the incident "shameful."
Fenway fans behavior at the #RedSox game last night was unacceptable & shameful. This is not what Massachusetts & Boston are about.
Jones suggested there should be harsher punishments for offenders, calling getting kicked out of a ballpark a "slap on the wrist."
"What they need to do is that instead of kicking them out of the stadium, they need to fine them 10 grand, 20 grand, 30 grand," he said. "That's how you hurt somebody. You suspend them from the stadium, what does that mean? It's a slap on the wrist."
The Orioles beat the Red Sox Monday 5-2.
The following night, Tuesday, as he went to bat, Jones received a standing ovation from both Boston fans and Red Sox players
Adam Jones was given a standing ovation before his first at bat on Tuesday at Fenway. 👏👏👏