December 23, 1999
Web posted at: 4:28 p.m. EST (2128 GMT)

In this story: Blames emotions Giuliani: Braves should do something 'Appropriate action' will be taken RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

ATLANTA (CNN) -- Even though Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker apologized for his tirade against New York, immigrants, single mothers and homosexuals, many in the team's hometown are calling for his resignation.

A coalition of Atlanta social, business and civil rights groups asked Thursday for a meeting to ask Ted Turner to fire Rocker for his remarks, which were published in the December 27 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.

VIDEO CNN's Jeff Greenfield has some thoughts on people whose opinions may offend us, and what our reactions say about how we view ourselves and our country. (December 23) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     READ THE ARTICLE Read the Sports Illustrated article     MESSAGE BOARDS Gay rights The state of race relations

"John Rocker's vitriolic, hate-filled rhetoric demands immediate action," the group said in a letter to Turner, the vice chairman of Time Warner Inc., the company that oversees operation of the Braves. Time Warner is the parent company of CNN and Sports Illustrated.

"For the sake of Atlanta, for the sake of baseball for the sake of everything good about America, it is important that John Rocker .. . enter his resignation right now," said Michael Langford of the United Youth-Adult Conference in Atlanta.

"This was more than just rhetoric, this was hate," said Atlanta City Councilman Derrick Boazman. "It's chilling and it's hurtful and it's damaging and that kind of individual can't be tolerated in this city."

Rocker in his apology on Wednesday also denied he's a racist. "Even though it might appear otherwise from what I've said, I am not a racist," Rocker said. "I should not have said what I did because it is not what I believe in my heart."

Rocker ignited a firestorm when he told the magazine he would retire before ever playing for a New York team.

"Imagine having to take the (No.) 7 train to (Shea Stadium) looking like you're (in) Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing," he said.

He also criticized what many New Yorkers love most about the Big Apple -- its diversity.

"The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners," he went on. "You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. ... How the hell did they get in this country?"

Rocker, a 25-year-old who lives in Macon, Georgia, and was born in the southeast Georgia town of Statesboro, blamed his own feelings for hurting those of just about everybody else.

"I want everybody to understand that my emotions fuel my competitive desire," Rocker said. "They are a source of energy for me. However, I have let my emotions get the best of my judgment."

Atlantans weren't impressed with his apology."Here's a man who may have a major-league arm, but he's got a bush-league attitude," said Joseph Lowery, former chairman of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who lives in Atlanta.

Jeff Graham with the AIDS Survival Project said he was shocked by Rocker's comments.

"For him to single out people living with HIV and stigmatize them, demonize them, to say that they are a threat to his safety for sitting on public transportation that in itself is appalling and would be cause alone for termination."

Some New Yorkers had pointed remarks of their own for Rocker, who helped beat the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series before his team was swept in the World Series by the Yankees.

"Does this guy belong to the KKK?" asked Irish immigrant John O'Callaghan, a rider on the No. 7 train that Rocker derided.

New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a dyed-in-the-wool Yankees fan, called for action.

"Something should be done about this so that Mr. Rocker is held accountable for his vicious and bigoted remarks," Giuliani said. "I think it's a terrible attitude. It's a problem. I think the Braves actually have a responsibility to do something about this."

Braves general manager John Schuerholz spoke with Rocker for 10 minutes Wednesday and said he planned to meet with him after the holidays "to discuss what actions the organization will take."

"The viewpoints attributed to John Rocker in no way reflect the views of the Atlanta Braves organization," Schuerholz said.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig called Rocker's remarks "inappropriate and offensive" and said "appropriate action" will be taken.

CNN Sports Illustrated National Correspondent Sonya Steptoe and The Associated Press contributed to this report.