[vincesanity82]

One of the outgrowths of the Tim Donaghy gambling scandal has been the increased scrutiny of officials in all the major American sports leagues. Major League Baseball, for example, decided to step up background checks concerning their umpires. The union representing those umps, the World Umpire Association, has mostly gone along with the checks, until now.

Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball reports that the WUA issued a press release today concerning questions being asked during the league's investigations. While they have nothing to do with gambling, the subject matter is just as troubling.

One of the league's security officials arrived in Northern Kentucky recently to interview the neighbors of several umpires. These neighbors were strangers to the MLB official and not necessarily close acquaintances of the umpires. Among the standard questions to the neighbors was this errant bombshell -- do you know if the umpire is a member of the Ku Klux Klan?

I don't think anyone saw that coming. The KKK isn't exactly a group you hear a lot about these days. Perhaps back in the early days of baseball's integration but this wasn't something on the radar screen. Lemell McMorris, a spokesman, asks what being in the KKK has to do with being an umpire.

Major League Umpires Are Being Investigated for Ties to KKK - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

[Seahawker 562]

ahahah those racist umpires!

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Weird question...how do you single out KKK and not "hate groups" in general? What makes them more special than any other hate group?

[Seahawker 562]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Weird question...how do you single out KKK and not "hate groups" in general? What makes them more special than any other hate group?

Well known and have been around since before slavery (I think) im not good with history

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Seahawker 562

Well known and have been around since before slavery (I think) im not good with history

True, but so what?...there are plenty of terrorist groups, white supremest groups, black extremest groups etc out there to target as well...why ask only about the KKK...they are all equally bad aren't they? Should not the question be, "do you associate with any hate groups?"

[Seahawker 562]

are the black panthers a hate group?

[legend]

Cause their name is the easiest to spell. It's how those idiots remmeber who they are.

[Seahawker 562]

its a tounge twister though lol

[azrael492]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

True, but so what?...there are plenty of terrorist groups, white supremest groups, black extremest groups etc out there to target as well...why ask only about the KKK...they are all equally bad aren't they? Should not the question be, "do you associate with any hate groups?"

I would be willing to bet they got some sort of tip on the subject, and that is their discreet way of seeing if there is any truth.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Weird question...how do you single out KKK and not "hate groups" in general? What makes them more special than any other hate group?

Well, like others have already said - they probably have a specific tip about this.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Well, like others have already said - they probably have a specific tip about this.

Seems reasonable...though I would probably ask the question in general, though then you would have to define what a "hate group" is...and you would have wiggle room...

The only KKK I want to see in baseball is three strikeouts in an inning by a power pitcher...

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

The only KKK I want to see in baseball is three strikeouts in an inning by a power pitcher...

Dude, that is a great line. Witty, and yet so true.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Dude, that is a great line. Witty, and yet so true.

I have my moments...

You don't think they are cracking down on power pitchers do you????