What did Stephen A. Smith say about Shohei Ohtani?
ESPNs Stephen A. Smith is facing backlash on Twitter after criticizing Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani. Stephen A. Smith is getting slammed as racist on social media after claiming that baseball player Shohei Ohtanis use of an English interpreter contributes to harming the game to some degree.  The fact that you got a foreign player that doesn't speak English, believe it or not, I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that's your box office appeal," Smith said during the July 10 episode of First Take. "It needs to be somebody like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, those guys. And unfortunately at this point in time, that's not the case," he added. Ohtani is Japanese and uses an English interpreter when speaking to the media at press conferences. 2 Shohei Ohtani uses an English translator when speaking to the media Credit: Reuters  Smith later added: "When you talk about an audience gravitating to the tube or to the ballpark to actually watch you, I don't think it helps that the number one face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he is saying -- in this country, and that's what I'm trying to say." People all over social media immediately slammed Smith and asked for him to be reprimanded over his comment. Former Sports Center host Keith Olbermann, called for his suspension from ESPN. "Ive supported @stephenasmith when hes been big at @espn and when he hasnt, and when hes been right and when hes been wrong," Obermann wrote in a Twitter threat. Read our Stephen A Smith for the latest news and updates  "But this, about Shohei Ohtani, is straight up racism at a time of dangerous anti-Asian violence. This requires an apology, and a suspension. Now." "I mean, imagine something even vaguely like this, said about any black athlete or female athlete or even an athlete who doesnt speak to the media, by anybody else. The commentator would have been fired by now." New York Congresswoman Yuh-Line Niou also criticized the ESPN host. "What Stephen Smith is saying in his comments about Shohei Ohtani is 'You dont speak English. You dont belong here. You arent American enough," she wrote on Twitter. Adding: "Over and over and over again." Smith issued a lengthy apology regarding the comments he made on-air about Ohtani, saying: In the United States, all I was saying is that, when you're a superstar, if you could speak the English language, guess what, that's going to make it that much easier (and) less challenging to promote the sport. "That's all I was saying." Shortly after, Smith tweeted: "Amazing that folks still dont know me after all these years. If I am wrong about something, I will apologize. Especially if I unintentionally offend ANY GROUP of people  because its the right thing to do. Adding: Period! Im BLACK. I would know! See yall tomorrow on @FirstTake."