Farmingdale State assistant baseball coach suspended for 'inappropriate' comments
Farmingdale State College on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 in Farmingdale. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Farmingdale State College assistant baseball coach Mike McCabe has been suspended for one year without pay and will be required to undergo counseling for inappropriate comments he made during a game Saturday, the school announced Wednesday.
“The comments that were made are most inappropriate and do not reflect the college's values and the standards we uphold in our community," the school said in a statement.
McCabe, 53, could not be reached for comment. Farmingdale State director of athletics Tom Azzara said an investigation by the school is underway.
The incident occurred during Farmingdale State's game against St. Joseph's University of Brooklyn played at Kingsborough Community College. St. Joseph's sophomore centerfielder Anthony Hernandez told his coach Pete Blumenauer that a racial remark was directed at him when he reached third base in the eighth inning. The game, which St. Joseph's won, 7-3, was broadcast on a live stream, and the comment could be heard on the video, which was obtained by Newsday.
Hernandez, who is from Selden, played baseball at Newfield High School.
Neither Hernandez nor Blumenauer could not be reached for comment. Hernandez's brother, Samuel Hernandez, 26, told Newsday that his family is "very upset" about the incident.
“I didn’t want my mom and dad dealing with it publicly because it’s so hurtful,” Samuel Hernandez said. “Both teams were chirping, which is part of the game. My brother ... was fired up at third base and responded to the emotion of the moment [by celebrating]. But to respond to him with a racial overtone is completely unacceptable. ... It’s just shocking."
A spokesperson for St. Joseph's University released a statement that read, in part, "We condemn all forms of racism and discrimination. ... The University has communicated with Farmingdale State College. They have assured us that the incident is under review and that appropriate measures will be taken."
McCabe, who lives in North Babylon, has been an assistant college baseball coach for 33 years, the last five at Farmingdale State College.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
