A white college baseball coach in Georgia allegedly prohibited a Black player from joining his team due to the length of his hair.
According to The New York Post, Black baseball player Asher Akridge recorded a conversation with manager Greg Guilliams of Valdosta State University. The former player, who has dreadlocks, asked the manager why he’s not on the team. The response: the player’s hair is too long.
A source on the baseball team told WALB News 10 that Akridge and Guilliams are the voices in the audio.
After asking why other players can wear their hair long, Guilliams says he is speaking to Akridge specifically. At the end of the clip, Akridge, who posted the audio on TikTok, reveals a photo of a white player with long hair in uniform playing.
The caption on the video reads, “Valdosta State University 2023 or 1945.”
“If you complied with what I said, you’d got your hair cut and I wouldn’t
had to keep telling you about it,” the coach tells the player. “In all fairness to you, here’s where I failed, what I should’ve done from the very beginning and I didn’t do it, this is my fault and I could see how I gave you the wrong impression, so I’m not gonna totally blame you because it takes two with everything.”The player tells the coach that there are “discrepancies” in his policy.
“We are not talking about
other guys, I told you before on the phone, we are not going down that route, why would I go down this route again?” the coach says. “I don’t care what anybody else says, this is between you and me. I’m the head coach. It doesn’t matter what any other player says. So, again, why would I want you back on the team when we are right back having the same conversation again?“Conversation over, wild boars could not allow me to put you back on this baseball team,” There is no way, it ain’t gonna happen. This conversation is over. I said it on the phone.”
@asherthegreat24 Massa please. I’s will be a good boy! #valdostastateuniversity ♬ SkeeYee – Sexyy Red
In a statement, Valdosta State said it was investigating the incident and the school was “progressing through the required due process procedures.”
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