ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith apologized on Monday for saying that baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani can’t be the face of Major League Baseball because the player prefers to have an interpreter around to help translate his native Japanese to English. Having an interpreter “comprises the ability for them to ingratiate themselves with the American public,” Smith said. Associated Press The Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run on July 9, 2021, in Seattle. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he’s saying, in this country,” Smith insisted. “As I’m watching things unfold, let me say that I never intended to offend ANY COMMUNITY, particularly the Asian Community ― and especially SHOHEI Ohtani, himself.

Source: Huffington Post July 13, 2021 00:45 UTC