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Controversial former pitcher John Rocker, who once said that the thing he liked the least about New York City was 'the foreigners', is not a fan of Zohran Mamdani.
Rocker had his career derailed after he made a series of bigoted statements in an interview in 1999 - which included many shots at 'The Big Apple'.
So, naturally, it appears that the Georgia native does not like the Democratic Party nominee for mayor.
'25 years ago I criticized New York for it's [sic] rapid decline into a third world country,' Rocker posted to his X account.
'I was forced to undergo Psychological Counseling, as if I were the crazy one. 25 years later, the city is voting in a muslim socialist for mayor. F*** NEW YORK.'
Rocker's interview with Sports Illustrated writer Jeff Pearlman over two-and-a-half decades ago featured a series of racist and homophobic statements made by the then-Atlanta Braves pitcher.
Controversial former MLB player John Rocker, who once went on a racist and homophobic tirade against New York City, blasted the leading candidate in the city's mayoral race
Rocker hates the lead held by Zohran Mamdani, saying 'F*** NEW YORK' on his X account
In that interview, Rocker called Curacaoan teammate Randall Simon a 'fat monkey' and used racial stereotypes toward Asian women driving on the road.
When asked by Pearlman if he'd ever play for the New York Yankees or the New York Mets, Rocker gave an infamous quote calling it 'the most hectic, nerve-wracking city' and that he'd retire before playing there.
'Imagine having to take the 7 Train to the ballpark (Shea Stadium, former home of the Mets) looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing,' the pitcher said.
Rocker added, 'The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?'
MLB commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rocker without pay for the entirety of spring training - as well as the first 28 games of the 2000 season.
After an appeal, the in-season suspension was reduced to 14 games. He was also told to undergo psychiatric counseling in order to be admitted back into the league.
Rocker's comments didn't go over well with Mets fans - with whom Rocker already had a contentious relationship. Elsewhere in Pearlman's piece, the pitcher referred to Mets fans as 'degenerates'.
Rocker (seen in 2000) de-railed his career by making racist and homophobic comments
Mets fans protest at the 7 train station outside Shea Stadium before a game in June of 2000
In addition to his controversial comments - both made in the Pearlman piece and in multiple instances years later - Rocker admitted to using steroids during his career, saying, 'Yeah, of course I was [using steroids]. I mean who wasn't? Let's be honest here, who wasn't?'
Just weeks ago, Rocker made another sickening racial comment about Uber drivers in America, saying that he thinks the app should have an 'American Citizen Driver' option so he can avoid being 'driven by someone who was riding a camel 12 months ago.'
According to the most recently released poll - published by the Manhattan Institute on Tuesday - Mamdani holds a strong lead going into the final week of the race.
The 34-year-old New York State Assemblyman leads the poll at 43 percent among likely voters. It's a double-digit lead over disgraced former New York governor Andrew Cuomo at 28 percent.
