May 1, 2012

(JTA) — Delmon Young, the Detroit Tigers outfielder who was arrested in New York for allegedly attacking a group of men and making anti-Semitic remarks, was suspended without pay for seven days

The suspension is retroactive to April 27, when he was placed on the restricted list. It amounts to more than $250,000, according to the Detroit News. Young will not contest the suspension.

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced the suspension Monday night, saying, “Those associated with our game should meet the responsibilities and standards that stem from our game’s stature as a social institution. An incident like this cannot and will not be tolerated. I think that Mr. Young is regretful, and it is my expectation that he will learn from this unfortunate episode.”

The incident occurred April 27 outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where Young was staying before the start of a series with the New York Yankees that night.

According to reports, a group of tourists staying at the hotel were approached by a panhandler wearing a yarmulke. Young yelled anti-Semitic epithets at the group. Young also reportedly shoved one of the men, who sustained minor injuries.

Young faces a misdemeanor aggravated harassment hate crime charge. He was taken to the hospital after the incident. He is scheduled to appear in court in New York on May 29. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

A New York Police Department spokesman told the New York Post that it was unclear whether the alleged victim, described as a 32-year-old male, was Jewish.

Young, who endured a 50-game suspension in 2006 for throwing a bat at an umpire, apologized for the New York incident in a news release.

The Anti-Defamation League issued a statement saying it was “deeply disturbed” by reports of the player’s outburst. “Bigoted words are unbecoming for any professional sports player and anti-Semitism certainly has no place in the game, either on or off the field,” the group said.

Tigers chief executive officer, president and general manager Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit News that some of the allegations reported in the media are untrue, but would not elaborate on which ones.
 

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