Latest Schott: Eric Davis Outraged Over Owner's New Comments

CINCINNATI - Reaction to Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott's first interview since her suspension from major-league baseball ranged from incredulity to outrage last night.

Former Reds outfielder Eric Davis, allegedly a target of a racial slur by Schott, was stunned to hear that Schott did not think African-Americans had a more difficult time than white Americans.

"I don't know where she's been," Davis said from his California home after The Cincinnati Enquirer read him the transcript from ABC's PrimeTime Live, in which Schott was interviewed.

Davis, currently an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, said Schott "doesn't even know Jackie Robinson broke the barrier. I don't think she has any idea. She wants people to think she's naive to the fact, but Marge is a very intelligent person. To hear her saying this stuff all over again, she has no remorse."

Bob Bennett, Schott's attorney during baseball's investigation - which culminated Feb. 3 with a one-year suspension and $25,000 fine of Schott - indicated he would advise his client not to talk to the media. Neither he nor Schott could be reached for comments on the broadcast last night.

During the PrimeTime interview, Schott called baseball's investigation "a witch hunt," repeated her belief that everyone uses certain racial slurs against African Americans, and said she doesn't think the swastika is a symbol of evil.

Schott also said she believes racism is a creation of the media and "really isn't there."

"I mean, I feel very bad that they (African Americans) were never allowed on the team years ago," she said. "But as I say, things have changed and escalated."

Schott admitted she used derogatory terms against African Americans and people of Japanese descent, but she said that people who had known her for any length of time realized she was not a racist.

Asked, "Are you a racist?" Schott replied:

"Not at all. Not at all. In fact, a lot of people say that, you know, the team are like my children. Well, that's the truth. I was never blessed with children. Big heartache. But I look at my guys all alike."

Asked if she had ever used a certain derogatory word to describe African Americans, Schott said: "Oh, I'm sure we've all used the word. . . . But I know it's a derogatory word. And to some people it's not."

During the interview, Schott said she'd "never seen a witch hunt or anything blown out of proportion like this has been."

She also says she does not want to push for the hiring of more racial minorities, she is being persecuted because she is a woman, and she denies using a slur against Jews.

"I don't want to live a false life, OK? Like firing certain people to bring in other people," she said when asked if she would choose a minority from between two equally qualified job applicants. "I don't think that's fair."

She denied being anti-Semitic, and said of the swastika symbol of Nazi Germany, "I don't think it's a symbol of evil." She said she wasn't talking about Jews when she said Hitler had the right idea "but went too far."

Members of baseball's executive council, which suspended and fined Schott, had no comment. "Baseball will comment at the appropriate time," Rich Levin, a spokesman for the commissioner's office, said before the interview was aired.