Hall of Famer apologizes for antisemitic comment about former Yankees GM

Hall of Famer Johnny Bench apologized on Sunday for using an antisemitic remark when referring to former Yankees’ GM Gabe Paul.

Paul, who died in 1998, was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame alongside pitchers Danny Graves and Bronson Arroyo on Saturday. He was represented by his daughter Jennie Paul at the induction ceremony.

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Pete Rose, who was also there for the ceremony, remembered his first contract negotiations with Paul, saying, “When I got out of high school in 1960, Gabe Paul signed me to a contract for 400 bucks a month.” Jennie Paul could be heard jokingly saying, “That cheap ... never mind,” in response.

Then Bench interjected by saying, “He was Jewish,” which drew laughter from the crowd.

Bench released a statement on Sunday apologizing for his remarks.

“I recognize my comment was insensitive. I apologized to Jennie for taking away from her father the full attention he deserves. Gabe Paul earned his place in the Reds Hall of Fame, same as the others who stood on that stage, I am sorry that some of the focus is on my inappropriate remark instead of solely on Gabe’s achievement.”

According to The Athletic, Jennie later revealed that Bench approached her after the ceremony to apologize, but she claims to not have heard the comment at all.

Paul helped George Steinbrenner buy the Yankees in 1973 when Columbia Broadcasting System sold the franchise because he knew Michael Burke, who was in charge of the team. In 1973, Steinbrenner brought in Paul, who stayed until the end of 1977; he started as a limited partner and then became GM and president. The Yankees were in a postseason drought when Steinbrenner brought him in. Within a few years, Paul helped return New York to the World Series.

In 1976, they lost in the World Series 4-0 to the Reds. The following season, they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 to win their first championship in 15 years.

In 1978, Paul left the Yankees and returned to the Cleveland organization as a president and minority owner. Steinbrenner didn’t take his departure too well, saying, “He was in baseball for 40 years, and did he ever win a pennant before? You think he made all those brilliant moves with this team himself? You think all of a sudden he got brilliant?”

Though he wasn’t involved with the Reds organization that won the pennant in 1961 - the team’s first pennant since 1940 - he did assemble the core of that team.

He also was the person credited with making the key moves that lead to the Yankees making three consecutive World Series appearances from 1976-78.

Even if Mr. Steinbrenner was willing to take a bit of credit for the Yankees’ pennant winners of 1976 and World Series champions of 1977 and 1978, Mr. Paul made the trades that brought Willie Randolph, Chris Chambliss, Bucky Dent, Lou Piniella, Mickey Rivers and Ed Figueroa (along with Graig Nettles, whom Mr. Paul dealt to New York shortly before he arrived there from the Indians). Mr. Paul, meanwhile, signed some of the first free-agent stars, getting Jim (Catfish) Hunter, Reggie Jackson and Don Gullett. When he was not dealing, Mr. Paul served as a buffer between Mr. Steinbrenner and Manager Billy Martin.

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Let’s not diminish the impact Paul has had on the game of baseball. Despite the many distractions that have come his way - from antisemitic remarks to an unappreciative owner - Paul managed to put together a distinguished MLB career.