Josh Donaldson apologises to Jackie Robinson’s family after ‘joke’ during game

• Yankees player called Black opponent Jackie' during game
• Third baseman was suspended by MLB over incident

New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson has issued an apology to the family of Jackie Robinson after referring to a Black opponent, Tim Anderson, as Jackie" during a game last week.

Donaldson was suspended one game for what he claimed was an inside joke" with Anderson, an infielder for the Chicago White Sox. Donaldson on Saturday said his comment had been a reference to an interview Anderson had given to Sports Illustrated in 2019, in which he described himself as feeling like today's Jackie Robinson". Anderson said Donaldson was taunting him, not joking, and had previously told him to stop using the reference.