The Colorado Rockies said in a statement on Sunday that they were investigating a fan who was heard yelling a racial slur at Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson during Sunday's game.
The alleged racial slur came in the ninth inning at Coors Field with Brinson at the plate and was loud enough to be picked up by microphones on the Bally Sports Florida telecast. The unidentified fan allegedly yelled the N-word multiple times and footage from the broadcast instantly went viral on Twitter.
Colorado Rockies Release Statement Saying They Were 'Disgusted' by the Fan's Behavior
Hours after the game, the Rockies released a statement denouncing the still-unidentified fan and saying they were investigating the incident. The team indicated that any fan displaying such behavior would be banned from Coors Field.
"The Colorado Rockies are disgusted at the racial slur by a fan directed at the Marlins' Lewis Brinson during the ninth inning of today's game," the team said in a statement after the game. "Although the subject was not identified prior to the end of the game, the Rockies are still investigating this incident.
"The Rockies have zero tolerance for any form of racism or discrimination, and any fan using derogatory language of any kind will be ejected and banned from Coors Field."
Was the Fan Calling Out to Team Mascot Dinger?
Not long after the video started circulating on Twitter, some users pointed out that the fan may have been calling out to the fan's mascot Dinger.
Dinger, a purple triceratops, is the official mascot of the Colorado Rockies and is often seen around the stadium, dancing in the seats, during games. The team went with the dinosaur as their mascot after they found a triceratops skull fossil when they were building the stadium.
In a video shared by a Twitter user, the fan is seen trying to draw the attention of the mascot in the stands on his right, waving out to him. The fan appears to yell the alleged racial slur at the exact time he calls out to Dinger.
