Commentator's gay gaffe

GOLF

Ben Wright, a CBS television commentator, was called before network officials yesterday to explain remarks he made suggesting that lesbians hurt the sport of women's golf and that women golfers are handicapped by having breasts.

"Ben Wright will meet with CBS Sports in New York to address statements attributed to him in recent news reports," a CBS statement said.

Wright, 62, has been a CBS golf commentator for 23 years and was in Wilmington, Delaware to cover the LPGA Championship. He was quoted in yesterday's edition of The News Journal of Wilmington as saying that lesbians in women's golf made it difficult for the sport to win sponsorship and television coverage.

"Let's face facts," Wright reportedly said in an interview. "Lesbians in the sport hurt women's golf. It's paraded. There's a defiance in them in the past decade."

Wright, whose reported comments drew disapproving responses from golf officials, players and gay rights groups, was also quoted as saying, "women are handicapped by having boobs. It's not easy for them to keep their left arm straight, and that's one of the tenets of the game."

The LPGA Commissioner, Charles Mechem, said he did not think lesbianism was a significant issue or that it had impeded the growth of the LPGA.