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ST. LOUIS — A Cardinals official who had a prominent role in ballpark operations has been fired for what the team called “very inappropriate and hurtful language” during a call with downtown St. Louis businesses this month.
The Cardinals’ director of security Phil Melcher was the official dismissed, sources confirmed to the Post-Dispatch.
The team did not identify Melcher but acknowledged that an employee had been fired from a position due to statements made on Oct. 13.
“We were shocked to learn that, during a regularly scheduled business call that same day on which representatives of the St. Louis Cardinals and various other members of our Downtown St. Louis community participated, a St. Louis Cardinals employee, unfortunately, used very inappropriate and hurtful language,” the Cardinals said in a statement released by a team spokesperson when the paper asked about the incident.
“Such language was completely unacceptable and is not tolerated by the St. Louis Cardinals organization, regardless of the circumstances, and it does not, in any respect, reflect or represent who we are as an organization.”
The Cardinals said they made the dismissal “promptly” after learning of the comments and made efforts to apologize to people on the business call.
The Cardinals declined comment beyond their statement. Melcher could not be reached for comment.
The firing and identity of the employee was first reported by KSDK (Channel 5).
security measures at Busch Stadium and other team facilities, including their player development and spring training complex in Jupiter, Florida.
He brought law enforcement, security and military experience to the role, and one of his charges was getting the Cardinals overall organization in compliance with requirements set by the Department of Homeland Security.
With him as the director of security, the Cardinals applied for and received certification from the government in 2017 under the SAFETY Act that provided them legal protection in the event of a terrorist attack.
That process put most areas of the ballpark under Melcher’s influence.
Yehovah Kelvin
