Atlanta Braves Coach Roger McDowell has been accused of using anti-gay language and sexually suggestive motions in a game Easter Sunday, in direct view of children and families, and threatening physical violence with a baseball bat to a fan present. Superstar attorney Gloria Allred Wednesday afternoon held a press conference, surrounded by two nine-year old twin girls, their father, Justin Quinn and his wife. Allred read from a statement, in which she accused McDowell of saying to a group of men, “Are you guys a homo couple or a threesome?”
“Then the coach allegedly grabbed a baseball bat and started shoving the small end through a circle formed by his finger and thumb, simulating sex,” Allred said, adding that when McDowell was told there were children within earshot, he stated, “kids don’t belong at the f***ing ballpark.â€
TMZ reports,
“According to Allred, the family claims they also witnessed McDowell tell the group of male fans, “Are you three giving it to each other in the a**?”
“The father claims he confronted McDowell from the stands — and McDowell responded by saying, “Kids don’t f**king belong at the baseball park” … and then approached him with a baseball bat, saying, “How much are your teeth worth?”
(TMZ video is available here.)
McDowell, a 1986 World Series champion, is the pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves and has played for played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles.
“Allred said in the news conference that she wants baseball to fine McDowell and the Braves and is demanding that McDowell apologize to the fans who witnessed his alleged homophobic remarks,” writes Craig Calcaterra, at NBC Sports, adding, “If what she says happened is true, I can’t think that Major League Baseball or the Braves would think that sufficient. This is the kind of thing that could and maybe should get McDowell fired.”
Recently, Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for hurling a homophobic, anti-gay epithet at a referee.