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CINCINNATI (AP) — Hall of Famer Johnny Bench apologized for an antisemitic comment made at an event to honor former Cincinnati Reds general manager Gabe Paul, who was Jewish, and others.

Bench made the remark at an event attended by Paul’s daughter, Jennie Paul, on Saturday. Paul, who died in 1998, and former Reds pitchers Danny Graves and Bronson Arroyo were being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.

Pete Rose recalled signing a deal worth “400 bucks a month” in his first contract negotiation with Gabe Paul.

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames, left, celebrates with Brice Turang after the final out of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Sunday, July 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

The Milwaukee Brewers opened a two-game lead over Cincinnati in the NL Central, overcoming a two-run deficit to beat the Reds for the fifth time in a six-game stretch, a 4-3 victory behind rookie Andruw Monasterio’s tiebreaking single in a two-run eighth inning.

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames, left, and Joey Wiemer, right, celebrate after a win over the Cincinnati Reds in a baseball game, Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Freddy Peralta combined with three relievers on a one-hitter, Christian Yelich homered on the game’s first pitch and Milwaukee shut out the Cincinnati Reds for the third straight game, a 3-0 win that gave the Brewers sole possession of the NL Central lead.

Milwaukee Brewers' Victor Caratini, left, and Willy Adames, right, check on Corbin Burnes behind the pitcher's mound during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Friday, July 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

Corbin Burnes struck out the side in the sixth inning after nearly collapsing in the fifth in oppressive humidity, Victor Caratini singled in a run in the seventh and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 on Friday night.

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Wade Miley throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Wade Miley pitched six strong innings and the Milwaukee Brewers made a first-inning run stand up in a 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Jennie Paul joked that it was “cheap.”

“He was Jewish,” Bench responded, drawing laughs from the audience.

“I recognize my comment was insensitive. I apologized to Jennie for taking away from her father the full attention he deserves,” Bench said in a statement released Sunday. “Gabe Paul earned his place in the Reds Hall of Fame, same as the others who stood on that stage, I am sorry that some of the focus is on my inappropriate remark instead of solely on Gabe’s achievement.”

Jennie Paul told reporters she didn’t hear Bench’s comment. “Johnny came up and said, ‘Were you offended?’ and I said, ‘For what?’” she said. “I didn’t even hear him say that. I suppose if I would’ve heard him say that, I would’ve said something, but I didn’t even hear him say that.”

Gabe Paul was the Reds’ GM from 1951 to 1960 and was responsible for the franchise’s acquisition of players that included Rose and Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Tony Perez. Under his leadership, Cincinnati began to sign Black and Latin American players, with Nino Escalera and Chuck Harmon making their debuts with the team in 1954.

Bench was a two-time NL MVP, the 1976 World Series MVP, the 1968 NL Rookie of the Year, a 14-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glove winner for the Cincinnati Reds while playing from 1967-83.