The Red Sox Are Taking This Racist’s Name Off Their Stadium Street

The Red Sox just ditched the most racist thing about their 100-year-old stadium.

The city is changing the name of Yawkey Way, which is the street that runs outside of Fenway Park. Yawkey Way is a party street for fans before and after games, but it’s also named after one of baseball’s most racist figures.

Tom Yawkey was the owner of the Red Sox from 1933-1976. He was also an opponent of integrating the sport. The Sox were the last team in baseball to sign a black player nearly 12 years after Jackie Robinson first broke the color barrier. Robinson himself once called Yawkey “the biggest bigot in professional baseball.”

To show their devotion to inclusion, the Red Sox submitted a bid to change the name earlier this year. The city's Public Improvement Commission unanimously approved the bid and the street will now be called Jersey Street, which was its original name before it was changed to Yawkey in 1977.

The Sox praised the decision, stating, “We recognize we have a long way to go, but remain committed to building a spirit of diversity, inclusivity, and openness within our front office and our ballpark," the team said. "We look forward to working with the business and civic leaders of Boston to continue to bring about social change in our community."

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