Chicago Cubs pitcher Julian Tavarez has apologized for an anti-gay remark he made about San Francisco baseball fans Saturday after a loss against the Giants; but whether gay Cubs fans forgive him remains to be seen.
Tavarez, responding to loud boos from the Giants crowd, reportedly said to seven or eight reporters after the game, "Why should I care about the fans? They're nothing but a bunch of assholes and faggots here."
On Sunday, he apologized to his teammates and to the city of San Francisco.
"I want to tell the Cubs how sorry I am for what I say. I'm a very emotional man, you know. I don't mean what I say ... . I should have never said those things. I let my emotions get in the way."
On Sunday, Tavarez began a five-day suspension for an earlier fight, and Cubs officials had not made a decision by presstime on what, if any, punishment he will receive for his comments.
At least one gay Cubs fan thinks Tavarez should make amends with the gay community.
"The slur was aimed at the San Francisco fans, but, of course, it applies to gays everywhere," said Jerry Pritikin, the "Bleacher Preacher" once described by Harry Caray as the biggest Cubs fan in the country.
Though he said he'll wait and see what the Cubs decide to do about Tavarez, Pritikin suggested that the pitcher give a donation to the proposed gay community center and have a plaque hanging outside bearing his name.
He has also invited Tavarez to sit with the 2,000 gay fans expected at the Pride weekend Cubs game. But, he stressed, "I don't want to see this become a protest."
"I just thought it was time to open my mouth and say how dumb it was," Pritikin told Windy City Times. "The team's got to give him ( Tavarez ) a little lesson in gay rights 101."
Since Tavarez's comments became public, Pritikin has appeared in the Sun-Times, the Tribune, on Fox News, on The Source sports radio program and on NBC-TV.
Of the situation, he said, "It should be interesting for the remainder of the season."