“Baseball legend” Johnny Bench apologises for inflammatory joke about Jews

Johnny Bench, a former player for the baseball team the Cincinnati Reds, has reportedly apologised for making a controversial joke about Jews. 

The joke was made at a news conference for Hall of Fame inductions. Gabe Paul, a former General Manager of the team who passed away in 1998, was one of the individuals who was being inducted. 

Mr Paul’s daughter, Jennie Paul, attended the conference to represent her late father. 

Mr Bench’s remarks were made in response to a story about Mr Paul having signed a player for $400 a month, to which an audience member shouted: “That’s cheap!” 

Mr Bench then said: “He was Jewish.”

Of her father’s Jewish identity, Ms Paul said: “[The Major League Baseball] turned down the commissionership because he was Jewish. A lot of people don’t know that.”

In a statement issued on Sunday, Mr Bench said: “I recognise my comment was insensitive. I apologised to Jennie for taking away from her father the full attention he deserves. 

“Gabe Paul earned his place in the Reds Hall of Fame, same as the others who stood on that stage, I am sorry that some of the focus is on my inappropriate remark instead of solely on Gabe’s achievement.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism reports on news and incidents relating to antisemitism throughout the United States and continues to report on and act against instances of anti-Jewish racism in all sports.