Joe.My.God. LGBT News
MLB.com reports:
Major League Baseball is mourning the loss of one of its own. Billy Bean, the league’s Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, passed away at his home on Tuesday after an 11-month battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
Bean, who was diagnosed last September, was 60 years old. “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,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said.
A native of Santa Ana, California, Bean was the only living openly gay Major League player (current or former), having come out in 1999. Detroit’s fourth-round Draft pick in 1986, Bean played for the Tigers, Dodgers and Padres from 1987-1995, logging a total of 519 plate appearances in 272 career games.
CBS Sports reports:
After retiring in 1995, Bean left baseball, but returned in 2014, when MLB appointed him as its first Ambassador for Inclusion.
In his role, Bean worked with Major League Baseball teams to, according to the league, “advance equality for all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees, and stakeholders throughout baseball to ensure an equitable, inclusive, and supportive workplace for everyone.”
Bean’s memoir, “Going the Other Way: Lessons from a Life in and out of Major League Baseball,” was released in 2003 and covered everything from being named his high school’s valedictorian to his partner dying of AIDS and Bean skipping the funeral to avoid questions.
Accolades are pouring in on social media. Bean last appeared here in 2018 when he and MLB employees marched in New York City’s Pride parade for the first time.
We are devasted by this news and join the entire baseball family in mourning the loss of Billy Bean.
Torey’s longtime friendship with Billy brought him closer to all of us in Arizona and our thoughts are with all of Billy’s loved ones at this time. https://t.co/LuRaW1XkAU pic.twitter.com/1d5Hw7v2j3
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 6, 2024
In 2014, Billy Bean returned to the game he loved in a different capacity, and baseball is in a better place because of him.
We mourn the passing of MLB’s Senior VP for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Billy Bean. pic.twitter.com/8SbPHqOnfy
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 6, 2024
Billy Bean was an LGBTQ advocate and one of baseball’s great heroes https://t.co/OKTx0hHCFm
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) August 7, 2024
Billy Bean went through an incredible amount of pain during his playing career and he spent the rest of his life trying to make sure no one else would have to go it alone. It was an honor to write about his life and all he did for queer athletes. https://t.co/4XbxSpCvD4
— victoria (@victoriaedel) August 6, 2024