Bear-Arms
Mentor
By David Haugh
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 2, 2006
Wearing the smile that has identified him as much as his No. 11 jersey, right fielder Jacque Jones stayed in his happy-go-lucky mode Tuesday night when asked about racist mail and phone calls he reportedly has received as a Cub.
Former Cubs reliever and Jones' buddy LaTroy Hawkins said Tuesday in USA Today that Jones said he received "not only hate mail but racist calls."
The instances were similar to those Hawkins claimed he received before he was traded to San Francisco last season.
Earlier this season, Jones created a stir when he spoke of the booing and heckling he received in right field after getting off to a slow start.
A ball thrown from the right-field stands whizzed past his head during a game in May, but the person who threw it was dismissed as an inebriated fan who wasn't targeting Jones. No charges were filed.
Jones has curtailed the boos by becoming one of the Cubs' most productive hitters after a rough opening month. Jones' previous discussions of the taunts hadn't been spoken of in racial terms ... until Tuesday's story.
"I don't want to get into all that. I'm just here to play baseball," Jones said, smiling before the Cubs faced the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I just want to talk about playing baseball."
Jones did not deny he had received racist mail and calls. "Write what you want," he said, walking away.
Asked to address the accuracy of the report, Jones stopped before heading down the hallway to the clubhouse.
"It wasn't inaccurate," he said.
Source:Chicago Tribune
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 2, 2006
Wearing the smile that has identified him as much as his No. 11 jersey, right fielder Jacque Jones stayed in his happy-go-lucky mode Tuesday night when asked about racist mail and phone calls he reportedly has received as a Cub.
Former Cubs reliever and Jones' buddy LaTroy Hawkins said Tuesday in USA Today that Jones said he received "not only hate mail but racist calls."
The instances were similar to those Hawkins claimed he received before he was traded to San Francisco last season.
Earlier this season, Jones created a stir when he spoke of the booing and heckling he received in right field after getting off to a slow start.
A ball thrown from the right-field stands whizzed past his head during a game in May, but the person who threw it was dismissed as an inebriated fan who wasn't targeting Jones. No charges were filed.
Jones has curtailed the boos by becoming one of the Cubs' most productive hitters after a rough opening month. Jones' previous discussions of the taunts hadn't been spoken of in racial terms ... until Tuesday's story.
"I don't want to get into all that. I'm just here to play baseball," Jones said, smiling before the Cubs faced the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I just want to talk about playing baseball."
Jones did not deny he had received racist mail and calls. "Write what you want," he said, walking away.
Asked to address the accuracy of the report, Jones stopped before heading down the hallway to the clubhouse.
"It wasn't inaccurate," he said.
Source:Chicago Tribune
