Witnesses Defend Astro Owner

The owner of the Houston Astros gained support from three witnesses who insisted he made no derogatory remarks about the Hispanic community, as a Spanish-language broadcaster said he did.

The witnesses say that executives from KTMD-TV misinterpreted a conversation with Drayton McLane before an awards banquet last Thursday. KTMD-TV reported that McLane said Hispanics couldn’t understand baseball, bought cheap seats and didn’t patronize the concession stands.

Marco Camacho, vice president and general manager at KTMD, and Rod Rodriguez, the station’s sales manager, made the accusations Friday.

Advertising buyer Ron Lucas said Camacho took the remarks “totally out of context” because McLane was talking in general terms about his problems marketing baseball.

Lucas and his wife, Lori, told the Houston Chronicle and KRIV-TV in Houston that they were present for the conversation and that Camacho and his two executives misinterpreted it.

“The only reason that conversation was talking about Hispanics is he was talking with Hispanics from a Hispanic broadcasting station,” Lucas said. “I think he felt the same way about Anglos, African-Americans and Asian-Americans. . . .

“Everyone has a right to hear what they want to hear. But as an Anglo, I didn’t hear [McLane say] that.”

Tami Weitkunat, an advertising consultant, said Camacho misrepresented the portion of the conversation she heard.

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The Philadelphia Phillies claimed pitcher Amaury Telemaco on waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks.