Former Michigan State hockey star Anson Carter said in a report published yesterday that he was the target of on-ice racial slurs during his college career in games against Michigan. Carter, who is black, played for the Spartans from 1992-96 and now plays for the Boston Bruins.
Michigan coach Red Berenson said yesterday he was "really disappointed" to hear Carter's comments, which came in the wake of the NHL's recent suspension of Washington Capitals forward Chris Simon for a racial slur directed at Mike Grier, a black pla
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| MICHIGAN STATE SPORTS INFORMATION Former Michigan State star Anson Carter said one or more Michigan players made him a target of racial slurs. |
Carter told The Boston Globe that he experienced a situation with one or more Wolverines similar to the one Grier had with Simon, who is a Native North American from the Canadian Ojibwa tribe. Carter could not be reached for further comment.
"We were playing the University of Michigan," Carter told the Globe. "It was one of those things that when you play against Michigan, anything is possible coming up.
"There are no excuses for it, but at the same time, I realize it happens in everyday life. So who am I not to expect it to happen in professional sports? Whenever things like that have happened to me through the course of my life, I just walked away.
"I grew up in a color-blind household, so whenever people said things like that to me, it really didn't faze me too much because I know who I am and I can't change the color of my skin. So my parents always taught me not to let it bother me.
"It happens everywhere, be it NHL, football, baseball, everyday life. So whenever anything like this comes up, it really doesn't surprise me."
Berenson said the use of racial slurs - on the ice or off - has never been an issue before with his players or coaches. Michigan currently has two black hockey managers. Berenson had not heard of Carter's allegations previous to their publication and asked if Carter was talking about Yost Ice Arena's notoriously boisterous crowd.
"I never heard a player say anything like that," Berenson said. "We would not tolerate that. So if he wants to make that statement, that's fine. But I certainly don't know anything about it."
Berenson said he had recruited Carter out of Scarborough, Ontario. Carter was scheduled to visit Michigan, Michigan State and Maine, but after he visited Michigan State, he signed with the Spartans immediately and canceled his other trips.
"I always liked Anson," Berenson said. "I was a big fan of his. He was a great kid, and I wish he would have waited until he visited Michigan. I think we could have got him. But he had a great career (at Michigan State).
"I'm disappointed to hear (Carter's allegations). It's certainly not something we ever discussed in the lockerroom or amongst coaches. I'm really disappointed to hear that."
Carter led the Spartans in goals three times and served as captain twice. He ranks sixth in school history in goals with 106 and fourth in power-play goals with 40.
11-13-97
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