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MLB ends “Papa Slam” promotion following Papa John founders’ use of the n-word

Papa John's CEO John Schnatter Apologizes After Using Racial Slur On Company Conference Call

MIAMI, FL - JULY 11: In this photo illustration, a Papa John’s pizza box is seen on July 11, 2018 in Miami, Florida. The founder of Papa John’s pizza, John Schnatter, apologized Wednesday for using the N-word on a conference call in May. (Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s pizza, resigned as chairman of the company’s board last night after it was reported that he used the n-word and said other insensitive stuff on a conference call. Of course, in typical corporate America style, he said it a couple of months ago and everyone at the company knew about it. It was just reported yesterday. So, in essence, he was fired not for being a racist jackwagon, but for the public finding out he was a racist jackwagon.

If you watch a lot of baseball and spend any time looking at baseball highlights at MLB.com, you know that one of the more visible promotions going on these days is the “Papa Slam” promotion, in which people got discounts on pizza after players hit grand slams. Baseball is part of corporate America too, and I wondered yesterday if the Papa John n-word fiasco would impact the promotion:

Guess someone at MLB was listening, because according to Yahoo Sports, MLB has suspended the promotion. It stopped counting the “Papa Slams” yesterday, not including Greg Bird’s slam last night. Yahoo later confirmed that, no, this was no oversight and the promotion had been suspended.

All submissions for new grand slam promotional partners can be placed in the comments. I’ll start: “Poetry Slams.” Sponsored by that place that used to do an open mic but got tired of dudes strumming bad versions of “Wonderwall,” so they started something new. For each grand slam hit in baseball, you can take a coupon code down there and get 40% off a chai latte while listening to some college sophomore’s patter about how growing up in the suburbs sucked but provided the basis for a rebirth, now, with “eyes open forward/back turned to my father’s oppression” or whatever it is kids who are killing time before going to law school are going on about these days.

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