The Minnesota Twins removed the statue of former team owner Calvin Griffith from outside of Target Field.
“While we acknowledge the prominent role Calvin Griffith played in our history, we cannot remain silent and continue ignoring the racist comments he made in Waseca in 1978,” the team said in a statement. “His disparaging words displayed a blatant intolerance and disregard for the Black community that are the antithesis of what the Minnesota Twins stand for and value.”
The team made the decision after internal meetings following the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Friday’s announcement of the removal came on Juneteenth, the anniversary of federal troops arriving in Texas to announce the end of slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War. Continue reading.