I must admit, when I first saw the headline, I though it was Billy Beane, the former GM of the Oakland As for the Moneyball phenomenon.
But Billy Bean was a pioneer in his own right, having been the only living openly gay Major League player (current or former), after coming out in 1999. Glenn Burke was the first gay player to come out (1982). He died in 1995.
Bean — MLB’s Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — passed away August 6 at the age of 60 after a near year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Here’s his obituary from The Athletic / New York Times.
Detroit’s fourth-round raft pick in 1986, Bean played for the Tigers (1987-89), Dodgers (1989), and Padres (1993-95), logging a total of 519 plate appearances in 272 career games.
From Commissioner Rob Manfred via MLB.com:
Our hearts are broken today as we mourn our dear friend and colleague, Billy Bean, one of the kindest and most respected individuals I have ever known. Billy was a friend to countless people across our game, and he made a difference through his constant dedication to others. He made Baseball a better institution, both on and off the field, by the power of his example, his empathy, his communication skills, his deep relationships inside and outside our sport, and his commitment to doing the right thing. We are forever grateful for the enduring impact that Billy made on the game he loved, and we will never forget him.
Bean published his memoirs — Going the Other Way: Lessons from a Life In and Out of Baseball — with Chris Bull in 2003.
is available on Amazon.com,
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