Utah Baseball Team Cancels ‘Caucasian Heritage Night’

A minor league Utah baseball team cancelled a ‘caucasian heritage night’ planned for August after social media backlash in the wake of the racially-motivated shootings in Charleston.

The Orem Owlz were planning on hosting a “Caucasian Heritage Night” on Aug 10, inviting fans who are “Irish, Italian, Scandinavian, German…. or even Utahn! Whatever your background, celebrate it at the Home of the Owlz!” The Owlz are a minor league farm team for the Los Angeles Angels.

But the backlash on social media has been swift, especially in the wake of the racial tensions surrounding the killings in a Charleston church this week.

In a statement canceling the event, an Owlz spokesperson said that the event was intended to “have fun and make fun of everyday normalcies.”

“Our night was to include wonder bread on burgers with mayonnaise, clips from shows like Friends and Seinfeld and trying to solve the vertical leaping challenge,” the team said in a statement. “We understand, in light of recent tragic events, that our intentions have been misconstrued. For that, we sincerely apologize.”