It seems the White Sox' blow-up doll controversy will deflate without any real repercussion (aside from maybe karma). According to the Chicago Sun-Times, officials from the commissioner's office contacted the White Sox to discuss the incident but have decided not to levy any punishment, which seems to suit GM Ken Williams just fine:"I will assure Major League Baseball that the doll was not violated in any way, shape or form," Williams said. "In all seriousness, it is a little bit of a disappointment because we have proactively tried to -- and just did so this spring training -- organizationally, we brought in some people to discuss a better work environment, whether it's gender issues or racial issues.Williams is half right: a formal apology won't mean jack if the fans don't think it's sincere, and Williams' glib comment about dolls being violated suggests he thinks this is a joke. There's a misconception that the clubhouse is some kind of sacred boys club where "guys can be guys" which is completely naive: the clubhouse is a working environment for dozens of people (including trainers, attendants and members of the media) who never put on a uniform. Some people have suggested that the team's biggest mistake was allowing this to become public, but that's just as asinine: it's like saying racial jokes are fine when only told in the company of white people. You don't have to be female to disapprove of misogyny.
"I don't know what a formal apology on behalf of the club is going to do, other than me assuring everyone we are on top of it and we addressed the issue."
Previously on FanHouse:
MLB Is Investigating the White Sox and Their Blow-Up Dolls
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's Ozzie Guillen's Sex Toys
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. DO YOU REALLY THINK THE VOTERS TELL THE TRUE PICTURE. DIVIDE THEM INTO MALE FEMALE . WOMEN DONT FIND IT AMMUSING BUT WONT TAKE TIME TO COMMENT
Posted at 6:09PM on May 7th 2008 by PAT
2. "Some people have suggested that the team's biggest mistake was allowing this to become public, but that's just as asinine: it's like saying racial jokes are fine when only told in the company of white people. You don't have to be female to disapprove of misogyny."
Well said.
Posted at 6:09PM on May 7th 2008 by Stephanie Stradley
3. Get real. This whole "controversy" has been fueled by a single Chicago newspaper.
Who exactly was there to be so damned offended? No one except the dolls. And if you think that the media has some innate right to even be in the clubhouse its you who is asinine. I would expect the access to the clubhouse to be reduced, and then it WILL be a "sacred boys club", just as it was for the first 100 years of baseball.
Posted at 6:24PM on May 7th 2008 by GB
4. I'm a marlin fan.
Who cares about dolls.
Talk base ball, please.
Posted at 6:41PM on May 7th 2008 by oton velasco
5. There's two points here, no women in men's locker rooms (seems they want some privacy to shower, wouldn't be unreasonable for a women's team).
What they put on official field grounds is optional but shouldn't be offensive in gender, race, handicap - basic boiler plate stuff. But most important, Victor Kiam, then-owner of the Patriots, needs to spend a few years being someone's biotch & then he can make such a sexual & degrading comment, especially to a woman reporter. What year is this anyways? I think women in general deserve at the very least a little respect. We've come a long way, Baby! Some of us are pretty good & don't understand our own gender sometimes.
But we should always be respectful & some of these men were completely out of bounds. Although I have experienced the exact same thing when I was in middle school, I walked away quickly & kept silent. It was more taboo to speak of it then. And that is just one of the many times I was & I am sure to be propositioned, insulted & degraded as just something to use...not a person at all...how would that make you feel?
There are plenty of decent people out there that can help others be more good than bad. With a little compromise we all can be happy. Would you want someone doing those things to your wife, mother, sister? That's why it's called the GOLDEN RULE.
Posted at 7:08PM on May 7th 2008 by Nancy
6. You don't have to be female to disapprove of misogyny."
Well said.
Well of course its well said if you hadn't done the same thing on fowl speech so take from own eye...as for the case at hand..plllllllllease!!!!
Posted at 7:21PM on May 7th 2008 by carl
7. This whole thing is stupid. Big deal. It was just guys having fun. I'm not an Ozzie fan or a WSox fan either. People need to lighten up. If you're offended by something like this, then you have a very sad life.
Go Tribe!
Posted at 8:38PM on May 7th 2008 by The Ween
8. People do not have a right to not be offended. Grow some thicker skin.
Posted at 11:57AM on May 8th 2008 by SA Miller
9. And were the sport basketball, the clubhouse a locker room, and the blow-up doll an image of a white male with a few knives to the torso or a cleaver in the head, the resounding "reverse racism!" and demands for suspension would be deafening. Cute, fellas.
Posted at 4:37PM on May 10th 2008 by Vadge Badge