Monday, Oct. 18, 2010

Marge Schott

It takes a certain kind of boss to offend employees repeatedly and en masse. Marge Schott, known for her incendiary comments, was just that kind of boss. Schott was the CEO and president of the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 to 1999, and during that time she alienated many employees with her reported slurs against African Americans, homosexuals and Asians. She allegedly referred to Reds players using racist or bigoted slang, and her callous response to the midgame heart attack and death of the 1996 opening-day umpire — "Snow this morning and now this. I don't believe it. I feel cheated." — deeply offended league umpires. Schott was suspended for three years in 1996 for, among other things, publicly stating that Adolf Hitler "was good in the beginning, but went too far." She eventually ended up selling her controlling interest in the team in 1999 — likely to the immense relief of players and fans.