Sports

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Chicago Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley's battle with fans has gotten even more heated. Bradley has called out Cubs fans, suggesting they are racially abusive and that he faces hatred on a daily basis.

Bradley never cited any specific taunts, nor did he come outright and call Cubs fans racist. 

The right-fielder on Thursday said he's not trying to stir up controversy but is telling it like it is through his ears and his yes.

"Unless you've been paid $30 million to play right field for the Chicago Cubs, then you can't speak on how I might feel, because you don't know," Bradley told reporters, including CBS 2's Ryan Baker, in the Cubs locker room.

Baker asked the player if the kind of hatred he has experienced comes from a minority of fans. "Absolutely," Bradley said. "One rotten apple don't spoil the whole bunch. It's a terrible cliché, but I gotta use it."

CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli sat in the bleachers for Thursday's game to see just how far fans went. He sat in right field, not far from Bradley, and reported that fans' heckling wasn't too bad.

As Bradley trotted out to take his position early in the game, some fans said sarcastically, "We love you Milton," Puccinelli said. The tone got worse – and the language saltier -- as Bradley's performance deteriorated Thursday, he said, but no comments were racially charged. 

The player's problems with fans was the talk of the town in Wrigleyville earlier Thursday. Cubs fan Peter Scherer said, "It's nonsense. Cubs fans are just mad that he's playing lousy."

Bradley has been booed at times by the impatient fans at Wrigley Field during Chicago's disappointing season.

On Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals, Bradley went 4 for 4 on with homer. But Bradley talked after the game about how difficult it has been to be booed every time he doesn't get a hit.

When he was asked on Wednesday to elaborate on his comments from the previous night after a 15-6 Cubs loss, Bradley said what he feels from a lot of fans is hatred on a daily basis.

Specifically, Bradley  believes he has been the victim of racial abuse, according to the Chicago Tribune.

But Bradley would not give the Tribune any specific examples of racial slurs he has heard from fans, saying no one wanted to listen to him and adding sarcastically that "America doesn't believe in racism."

Bradley said he was powerless to do anything about fans' taunts, and said he preferred games that were over in nine innings so he could leave the ballpark as quickly as possible.

Asked to clarify his comments Wednesday night, Bradley said "People have always got something to say, keep talking. It ain't stopping nothing, you know? What are you trying to prove? You're not proving anything, but you're an idiot."

We asked workers at Wrigley Field what goes on when fans boo Bradley. Cashier Virginia Ronen acknowledged fans regularly rip Bradley, but she said it happens "when he acts up."

Vendor Jason Ramos said Bradley instigates taunts from the crowd. "It's not anybody doing it to him. It's him doing it first, lashing out to fans and then the fans start booing him. It's his fault."

Ronen said she doesn't believe Bradley is a victim of racism. "No I don't. I believe he's a victim of too much money."

Bradley signed a three-year $30 million contract in January and has gone through a difficult season. If fans were upset with him before his remarks about alleged racism, you should have heard them Thursday.

"He's just using the race card as an escape. And that's real sad because there are other players that, you know, they get booed and they handle it and they move on. And some white players get booed."

Asked if he felt a different reaction from fans after Wednesday's 9-4 victory over the Nationals, Bradley said, "I feel love for me because I love me. So I look in the mirror and I go out there and play. I feel the love from my teammates; I feel the love from my coaching staff; and for myself."

Bradley also said he prays games last only nine innings so he could leave as quickly as possible. He also told reporters that racially-charged taunting from the Wrigley Field bleachers had long been commonplace. Some former Cubs, including Jacque Jones and LaTroy Hawkins, have also complained of racist taunts.

CBS 2's Susan Carlson contributed to this report.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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