CINCINNATI — Hall of Famer Johnny Bench apologized for an antisemitic remark made at an occasion to honor former Cincinnati Reds basic supervisor Gabe Paul, who was Jewish, and others.
Bench made the comment at an occasion attended by Paul’s daughter, Jennie Paul, on Saturday. Paul, who died in 1998, and former Reds pitchers Danny Graves and Bronson Arroyo have been being inducted into the staff’s Hall of Fame.
Pete Rose recalled signing a deal value “400 bucks a month” in his first contract negotiation with Gabe Paul.
Jennie Paul joked that it was “cheap.”
“He was Jewish,” Bench responded, drawing laughs from the viewers.
“I recognize my comment was insensitive. I apologized to Jennie for taking away from her father the full attention he deserves,” Bench mentioned in a press release launched Sunday. “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.”
Jennie Paul informed reporters she didn’t hear Bench’s remark. “Johnny came up and said, ‘Were you offended?’ and I said, ‘For what?’” she mentioned. “I didn’t even hear him say that. I suppose if I would’ve heard him say that, I would’ve said something, but I didn’t even hear him say that.”
Gabe Paul was the Reds’ GM from 1951 to 1960 and was answerable for the franchise’s acquisition of gamers that included Rose and Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Tony Perez. Under his management, Cincinnati started to signal Black and Latin American gamers, with Nino Escalera and Chuck Harmon making their debuts with the staff in 1954.
Bench was a two-time NL MVP, the 1976 World Series MVP, the 1968 NL Rookie of the Year, a 14-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glove winner for the Cincinnati Reds whereas enjoying from 1967-83.
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