Chicago Blackhawks Fans Ejected After Hurling Racist Taunts At Black Player
Four Chicago Blackhawks fans were ejected from their home arena on Saturday night for racially taunting a black player from the visiting Washington Capitals.
The four fans at the United Center yelled, "Basketball, basketball, basketball" at forward Devante Smith-Pelly while he was in the penalty box during the third period, a spokesperson for the Capitals confirmed to ESPN and other news outlets.
The Blackhawks won the game, 7-1, but the fans' actions cost the team the respect of many.
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"There's absolutely no place in the game of hockey or in our country for racism," Capitals coach Barry Trotz told reporters after the game.
In a statement, the Blackhawks said the team is "committed to providing an inclusive environment for everyone who attends our games and these actions will never be tolerated."
Saturday's incident came after the refs punished Smith-Perry with a five-minute penalty for fighting Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy.
Smith-Perry was also involved in an altercation with fans on Thursday in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. According to Bleacher Report, Smith-Perry squirted a heckling fan with his water bottle.
This is Smith-Perry's seventh year in the National Hockey League and his first with the Caps. He is one 30 black players in the league. He has 7 goals and 9 assists in 54 games.
Last year, in an interview with the Toronto Star, Smith-Perry opened up about a similar incident from his rookie season in 2011, when a fan told Smith-Perry to "go back to playing basketball" at a rookie tournament in Penticton, British Columbia.
"I can't go to anyone on my team and have them understand really how it is to be in my shoes. Just because I'm a professional hockey player: they just don't understand. So it's really lonely in that sense. You don't really have anyone," Smith-Perry told the Star.
The NHL has designated February as its "Hockey Is For Everyone" month, which "uses the game of hockey to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities."
The incident in Chicago has an added irony: Many groups have been calling on the Windy City team to change its name, which some feel is racist towards Native Americans. The team's logo is a profile of a tribal leader in a feathered headdress.