Two days after a fan was seen making an "OK" symbol with his hand on NBC Sports Chicago's broadcast of a Cubs game, the team has said they have permanently banned the man from Wrigley Field.
Former MLB outfielder Doug Glanville was reporting live during Tuesday night's game against the Miami Marlins when the fan, seated behind him, was spotted flashing a peace sign before making and holding the "OK" gesture. That symbol has been used for many different things -- one being a "white power" symbol, according to the Anti-Defamation League, that has been adopted by white supremacist groups. It is also used as part of the "circle game," in which people try to trick others into looking at the circle made with their hands.
In a statement released Wednesday, Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney first connected the gesture with the more offensive meaning.
"An individual seated behind Mr. Glanville used what appears to be an offensive hand gesture associated with racism," Kenney said, as The Washington Post first reported.
A day later, the Cubs said in a statement they made repeated attempts to reach the individual who flashed the hand signal and ultimately determined "he will not be permitted on the grounds of Wrigley Field or other ticketed areas indefinitely." This came after Kenney told 670 The Score that "it's more likely than not that this person was using that hand signal as a racist way of interfering with everyone's enjoyment of the game."
The rest of Kenney's original statement is as follows:
Such ignorant and repulsive behavior is not tolerated at Wrigley Field. We are reviewing the incident thoroughly because no one should be subjected to this type of offensive behavior. Any derogatory conduct should be reported immediately to our ballpark staff. Any individual behaving in this manner will not only be removed from the ballpark, but will be permanently banned from Wrigley Field.
