Ron Washington
Former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington said the reason he resigned was because he cheated on his wife Gerry. Reuters

Former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington cheated on his wife, Gerry, he admitted he during his first public comments since he abruptly left the team on Sept. 5, USA Today reported Thursday. He said it was a “low point in his life” when he was unfaithful to his wife of 42 years.

"I am embarrassed more than I have ever been in my life," he said in a statement. He reportedly spoke from a Dallas-area hotel, accompanied by Gerry, whom he married on Sept. 16, 1972.

"I don't run when I make a mistake," Washington said. "When you put yourself in situations, you own it. Those are the types of things my wife always says to me. I was not true to my wife. After 42 years, I broke that trust. I'm here to own that mistake and to apologize to her and to those who have trusted in me. I let them down."

"I'm sorry for breaking the trust I had with my wife and for disappointing my players, disappointing my coaches, disappointing Major League Baseball, disappointing the Texas Rangers," he said. "All I ask is for your forgiveness and your understanding.

Before the announcement, the Rangers had said Washington stepped down because of personal reasons. They later said it was not drug related. In 2009, Washington tested positive for cocaine. He offered his resignation, but the team didn't accept it, CBS Local wrote.

Washington was the only manager to lead Texas to a World Series. He was in his eighth season as manager of the Rangers.

"It's hard to make any comment because it's his personal life, but of course we'll always support him because he was our manager for several years and he had our back in good times and bad," Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said Thursday, according to USA Today. "We'll do the same for him.''

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