ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 10, 1996 TAG: 9601100139
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
CBS Sports silenced Ben Wright on Tuesday, taking him off its golf coverage after nearly eight months of controversy over alleged sexist remarks that made him persona non grata on the LPGA Tour.
CBS Sports' president, David Kenin, said Wright ``will not be a part'' of the broadcast team for the network's first tournament of the season, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Feb.3-4. He also said there are ``no plans for Wright's return to CBS Sports golf broadcasts.''
At the same time, CBS apparently avoided having to fire Wright by agreeing to honor the rest of his contract rather than buying him out. Wright signed a four-year extension in November.
In a statement issued through his own public relations agency, RLR Associates of New York, Wright apologized to CBS, the LPGA and to Valerie Helmbreck of The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., whose story May 12 started the controversy.
``Despite the fact that I have been widely misquoted, there is no doubt that I have been guilty of making some insensitive remarks,'' Wright said. He promised to ``be more thoughtful and, I hope, more sensitive in the future.''
Wright, 63, a golf analyst with CBS since 1972, was quoted by The News Journal as saying ``lesbians in the sport hurt women's golf.'' Helmbreck also quoted him as saying women golfers ``are handicapped by having boobs.''
Wright denied the remarks and was backed by CBS, while The News Journal stood by its story. Helmbreck also was accused of trapping Wright into making the statements, which she denied.
In an interview from her newspaper's office, Helmbreck said she considered it ``a back-handed apology for him to say that he'd been misquoted and then in the next breath to attempt to apologize to me.''
She also wondered why CBS took so long in removing Wright from broadcasts.
``Ben Wright was never misquoted. I know that and almost everyone else knows that now,'' Helmbreck said. ``Being called a liar is the very worst thing that can happen to a reporter.
``I think it's a little bit shabby that it took CBS this long to figure out how they were going to deal with someone who doesn't tell the truth.''
On Nov.28, in response to protests from lesbian and women's organizations, CBS issued a statement in which it said it opposed ``bias of all sorts'' and added ``Wright has been advised that any comments contrary to the network's policy will not be tolerated.''
Then, in an article in its Dec.4 issue, Sports Illustrated quoted well-known sportswriter and author Dan Jenkins as saying Wright admitted to him he made the statements in question.
Jenkins later said he was misquoted and that Wright might have been kidding.
Bennie Ivory, executive editor of The News Journal, said he was ``sure CBS did the right thing.'' Asked if the action was too long in coming, Ivory said: ``I would have dealt with something like that a lot swifter.''
Jim Ritts, the new LPGA commissioner, said while the action was belated, it was welcome. He said LPGA players ``have been unfairly burdened by the absurdity of the allegations made'' during the past eight months.
Still, he said he was ``satisfied that CBS has taken the correct action in that Ben Wright will no longer be associated with an LPGA telecast and that we can get back to the real business of the LPGA Tour - playing the best golf in the world.''
CBS' first LPGA telecast will be the Sprint Championships on May 4-5 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Wright was in London, en route to his home in Flat Rock, N.C., and unavailable to elaborate on his statement, which saved its most profuse apology for Helmbreck.
``... Most importantly, I extend to Ms. Valerie Helmbreck my sincere regret for any hurt she may have experienced,'' Wright said.
Wright began his 42-year journalism career in print with London's Daily Mirror and Daily Dispatch. He also writes free-lance and has done broadcast work for USA Network.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 linesby CNB