Cincinnati Alum Kevin Youkilis Backs Petition to Rename Marge Schott Stadium

Two-time World Series champion Kevin Youkilis has announced his support for a movement to change the name of Marge Schott Stadium at the University of Cincinnati.

Youkilis posted a note to Twitter on Sunday:

The petition was started by Cincinnati right-handed pitcher and senior team captain Nathan Moore on Saturday.

Youkilis, who starred at third base for the Boston Red Sox from 2004-12 after playing collegiate baseball at Cincinnati from 1998-2001, revealed that he was approached "many years ago" for a donation that would include renaming the Bearcats' home Kevin Youkilis Field at Marge Schott Stadium.

His father was against the idea and explained to his son why:

"He said, 'Kevin that is such a great honor that they would think of doing this. The only problem is that our family name will never coexist with that other individual. I will never let our family name be next to someone that was filled with such hatred towards our Jewish community. If they want to change the name completely, I'm okay with that.'"

Marge Schott Stadium has hosted Cincinnati baseball since 2004, per the program's official website, which describes Schott as "a well-known Cincinnati philanthropist who held controlling interest of the Cincinnati Reds from 1985 to 1999. She passed away in March, 2004, leaving the majority of her estate to the foundation."

Schott agreed to relinquish ownership duties for the Reds in 1999, however, "after years of racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic remarks (h/t the Washington Post's Patricia Sullivan). Her comments included voicing support for Adolf Hitler.

Youkilis earned three All-Star appearances (2008, '09, '11) in Boston before finishing his playing career with the Chicago White Sox (2012) and New York Yankees (2013).

Cincinnati inducted the 41-year-old into its James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. The Red Sox inducted the '07 Gold Glove winner into their Hall of Fame in 2018.