O My GOD The late Billy Bean is remembered by Aaron Boone, manager of the New York Yankees. Report
The manager of the New York Yankees, Aaron Boone, expressed his thoughts and feelings over Billy Bean’s passing. Bean was a former MLB ambassador for inclusion and senior vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion. One of the first gay former MLB players to come out, Bean passed away on Tuesday from cancer. Bean played in major league baseball for three teams: the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres. He was selected by the Yankees in 1985.
Very easy to chat to and be around, Boone informed me. “Although it’s a sad day for our sport, it’s also a good day for our sport because the commissioner, years ago, I believe, created more tolerance and understanding in our sport by realizing that, despite our differences, we have a lot more in common than we do. He was a good guy. “Billy is someone who will be missed because he was a guy who really helped move the needle in that direction and brought people together.”
Up until Sam’s death in April 1995 from problems related to AIDS, Bean maintained his homosexual orientation and relationship with him a secret. Bean gave up baseball after the 1995 Major League Baseball season. Four years later, Bean came out as gay, making history as the second former Major League Baseball player to do so in public, after Glenn Burke, who had a brief career as a player for the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1970s. In 2014, Bean was appointed as MLB’s first inclusion ambassador by Commissioner Bud Selig. Selig told reporters at the time, “Major League Baseball is thrilled that Billy, a member of the baseball family, will advise and represent our sport on a wide variety of subjects.” Our game has important social obligations because it is a social institution. Equal opportunity, respect, and inclusivity continue to be hallmarks of Jackie Robinson’s vibrant legacy. Billy will, in my opinion, actively assist us in developing those core ideas, and he will be a priceless asset to our Clubs, present and future players, and a host of other stakeholders throughout our game.