KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett apologized Friday for an outburst of frustration in which he swung a crutch at a UPI photographer's camera.
Brett, who will be lost to Royals for two to seven days with an ankle ligament strain, called UPI photographer Tom Gralish Friday and asked about his head.
Gralish replied he was not injured, just startled at being struck on the forehead.
'I was startled, too, to see all the photographers there,' Brett said.
The minor altercation occurred after Brett strained his right ankle in a slide at home in the fourth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers late Thursday. Dr. Steve Joyce ordered Brett to the hospital for X-rays.
Gralish and photographers for The Associated Press and The Kansas City Times were shooting pictures of Brett on his way from the clubhouse to the elevator leading outside Royals Stadium when Brett swung his left-side crutch at Gralish.
Brett told Gralish Friday it was nothing personal, that he was upset about his injury and Gralish happened to be the closest photographer.
'I was mad last night. After sleeping on it and thinking about it this morning, I wanted to apologize,' Brett said. The injury took the American League's most valuable player out of the Royals' lineup when the 1980 AL champions are off to a dismal 7-17 start, and Brett's plate performance seemed to be improving. pickup7thgraf: '
'I just didn't want to have my picture taken at the time,' Brett told Gralish.
The UPI photographer, who was stunned at having his camera and head struck, said Friday he was relieved the matter had been settled amicably.
