KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The baseball beat writer whose face was cut when Kansas City Manager Hal McRae hurled objects during a post-game tantrum, said Tuesday he is satisfied with the apology he received from McRae and won't be taking further action against the Royals.
Alan Eskew of the Topeka Capital Journal was treated by Royals trainer Nick Swartz after suffering a 1 -inch cut on his face Monday night when struck by one of the several items thrown by McRae following Kansas City's 5-3 loss to Detroit.
'It was inadvertant, I have no problem with Hal,' Eskew said from his home before going to the Royals' home game Tuesday night. 'Physically,' Eskew said, 'I'm OK, a little sore and I have a headache.
'In my column, I called it an unidentified flying object. Some others told me it was a tape recorder. He busted his TV, threw his phone, threw food. Anything that was on his desk was not on his desk after.'
Eskew, who has covered the Royals since 1979, said he normally would describe McRae as 'pretty easy-going' and described himself as 'startled' when he was struck.
'I didn't even ask a question,' Eskew said. 'There were only three questions, two of which were by radio talk show host John Doolittle of KMBZ and the second one set him off.'
Doolittle's triggering query was to wonder why McRae didn't have George Brett hit for Keith Miller with the bases loaded with two out.
'He called it a stupid bleeping question,' Eskew said. 'You don't just go off like that.'
Eskew coincidentally wasn't scheduled to cover the game Tuesday night but was planning to leave with the team for a road trip after the game. He said he deliberately didn't go to Royals Stadium during batting pratice 'when the TV crews will be there for their live shots.'
Eskew said he spoke with local chapter head of Baseball Writers' Association of America, Dick Kagel, who had been in contact with national president Neil Holfeld in Houston regarding the incident.
'I think Baseball Writers are going to express their concern,' Eskew said.
