MESA -- On the same day the Cubs announced a partnership with several Chicago area Muslim organizations, team owner Tom Ricketts expressed surprise over his father's association with racist and bigoted emails while continuing to distance his team from the controversy.
"The emails were unacceptable and have no place," Ricketts said on Monday from Cubs camp. "My father has no direct role or economic interest in the team and that doesn't represent what this organization is.
"Those aren't the values that my family was raised with. I was surprised to see the emails. I've never heard my father say anything that was even remotely racists.