Major League Baseball

Beckham apologizes for gay 'joke'

Published Jul. 9, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Chicago White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham has apologized for jokingly writing a message in the dirt calling friend and former teammate Chris Getz gay.

The message he left near second base in Monday's game against Kansas City read: "GETZ IS GAY! GB." Some fans sitting in the upper deck at U.S. Cellular Field noticed the writing. The message was first reported Saturday by the Chicago Sun-Times. Getz, also a second baseman, was traded along with Josh Fields from the White Sox to the Royals in November 2009. The White Sox got Mark Teahen in the deal.

"Obviously I apologize and kind of want to move on," Beckham told reporters before the White Sox played the Twins on Saturday. "Obviously it was meant as a joke, but obviously it was in the wrong place and I didn't mean it that way. I will just try to move on.

"It's one of those things that was unfortunate that happened, and I want to try to move on from it."

Beckham was the White Sox's first-round pick out of the University in Georgia in 2008 and played only 59 games in the minors before being promoted to the majors in 2009.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball