Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin
Pillar is making a donation to two Toronto-area LGBT charities.
Last month, Pillar was given a two-game
suspension for hurling an anti-gay slur at Atlanta Braves pitcher
Jason Motte.
Pillar called Motte a “fag” or
“faggot” after Pillar struck out on a quick pitch from Motte.
Players from both teams rushed onto the field after Pillar hurled the
slur.
Following the game, Pillar apologized
to Motte, though he added during a press conference that such
language was “part of the game.” He reiterated his apology in a
tweet the following day.
“It's not lip service,” Pillar
told Sportsnet.ca. “It's easy to come out and make your
apologies and hope people forget, but I meant what I said when I said
hopefully I'll be made an example of.”
The money, approximately $6,066, will
be donated to PFLAG, a support group for parents and friends of the
LGBT community, and You Can Play, which supports out athletes.
“My actions didn't just affect me,
they affected this organization as well, and between me and the
organization, we're going to do our part,” Pillar said of catching
the ceremonial first pitch before Thursday's game thrown out by a
member of Pride Toronto's board of directors to recognize the start
of LGBT Pride month.