Tuesday, August 6th, was a sad day for baseball fans. Billy Bean, who was among the very first professional athletes to come out as gay, passed away at age 60.
The baseball star who played for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres in the late 80s through mid-90s, was beloved in the sport. He later went on to serve as the MLB’s first Ambassador for Inclusion as well as the Senior VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
According to the MLB, Bean’s work included provide guidance and training related to efforts to support LGBTQ people throughout Major League Baseball. He worked with Major and Minor League Clubs to encourage equal opportunity for players, employees, and fans alike.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague Billy Bean, MLB’s Senior VP for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Special Assistant to the Commissioner. Billy, who fought a heroic year-long battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, was 60.
Over the last 10 years,… pic.twitter.com/dCfFM6hQlE
— MLB (@MLB) August 6, 2024
In 1999, Bean made the courageous decision to come out publicly in the Miami Herald. Among the first MLB players to come out as gay, Bean’s bravery paved the way for a new generation of athletes. He dedicated much of his career to ensuring a safer, more inclusive environment for LGBTQ people.
MLB proudly stands with LGBTQ youth and against bullying in all its forms.
When we stand together, love always wins. #SpiritDay pic.twitter.com/izvaNgsNLq
— MLB (@MLB) October 15, 2020
Bean annually took part in Spirit Day, the world’s most visible anti-bullying movement inspiring LGBTQ youth, especially transgender and nonbinary youth to live their lives in their truth and authenticity.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement saying, “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. “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. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Billy’s husband, Greg Baker, and their entire family.”
“As society progressed, Billy brought that as a figurehead to Major League Baseball and institutions that never had a position like that, or a role like that, or even acknowledged it,” said Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus.
“For baseball, we lost an ambassador and a really, really great man,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay stated.
We mourn the passing of Billy Bean, a former Dodger and pioneering executive who as MLB’s Senior Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion truly elevated the culture and spirit of the game he loved. pic.twitter.com/fFykeWFWbi
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 6, 2024
In 2003, Bean released a memoir titled