Sports Cities and the Athletes They Hate

Most Americans: John Rocker

1 Jul 2000: Pitcher John Rocker #49 of the Atlanta Braves is waiting with his NYPD escort during the game against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. The Mets defeated the Braves 9-1.Mandatory Credit: Ezra O. Shaw /Allsport
Advertisement

If a steaming pile of hot garbage could throw a curveball, or balk with the bases loaded, that flaming trash would be John Rocker. He was an early adopter when it came to hatred. Before social media, he went viral when he spouted off hate speech towards the LGBTQ+ community to the mainstream media. And to add a racist cherry on top, he made sure to sprinkle in his distaste for Asians and Europeans.

Next >