MESA, Ariz. (670 The Score) -- Spring for the 2019 Cubs brings renewed hopes and a rejuvenated team. Their goal is to respond from a disappointing 2018 by playing with urgency and again contending for a World Series championship.
Those sentiments were with the Cubs as they arrived for the first full-squad workout of spring training Monday. But before they could take the field as a team, chairman Tom Ricketts wanted to issue a message about organizational dealings off the field.
As he always does when they arrive at spring training, Ricketts spoke to the entire team, this time reminding the core values of the organization and then apologizing for how those were broken by a member of his family recently. Ricketts condemned the racist and Islamophobic emails sent by his father, Joe, which were revealed two weeks ago by Splinter News.
Cubs, CAIR to work together against Islamophobia
Ricketts then spoke for around 33 minutes with reporters, with nearly 25 of those minutes devoted to the emails from his father, which included Joe Ricketts writing: "I think Islam is a cult and not a religion. Christianity and Judaism are ... based on love whereas Islam is based on 'kill the infidel' a thing of evil."
"The emails that were in there were unacceptable and had no place," Ricketts said of his message to the team. "My father has no direct role or economic interest in the team. It doesn't represent what this organization is. I also I'm sorry for the distraction this created the last couple of days. We need to focus on baseball. We need to get back to our winning ways. We need to get off to a fast start. The last thing the organization needs is more off-the-field distractions."
Ricketts and the Cubs on Monday morning released a joint statement with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, pledging their support to the Chicago-based organization in combating Islamophobia.
The Cubs will take several measures as part of their plan, including forming anti-hate messages with team personnel and inviting notable Muslims for Cubs and Wrigley Field traditions. The franchise will also support local initiatives for anti-bullying efforts, diversity and inclusion training and scholarships.
Ricketts first met with CAIR and several other local Muslim groups on Feb. 8, joining team vice president of communications Julian Green to issue an apology on behalf of the organization for the Joe Ricketts emails and to begin seeking a solution.
"Those aren't values my family was raised with," Ricketts said. "To be honest, I was surprised by the emails. Our family was never raised that way. I've never heard my father say anything that was even remotely racist. It's just not our family values. So, I was a little bit surprised.
"He acknowledged that those kind of statements cause pain. But I love him. That's my dad. He's a great man. He's done incredible things. He's helped children all over the world through his charities. He supports 1,700 schools in Africa. All over East Africa, too -- Islamic East Africa. He's done all the right things.
"I love him. I don't see him in that light. He's a great man. It's just an unfortunate situation."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
