LGBT sports lovers and their buddies should not miss this one-of-a-kind double-header: on Friday, June, 3, the Boston Red Sox annual Pride Night at Fenway Park line-up has both the Sox playing against the Toronto Blue Jays plus a pre-game event featuring a powerfully moving talk by Billy Bean, former MLB player, the league’s VP for social responsibility and inclusion and out LGBT advocate, in the Sox Champions Club.
Bean’s talk was so moving that in late April when Bean shared his story with the Sox front office, the team’s senior manager of Red Sox Sales Academy for the Boston Red Sox David Baggs was moved to come out himself as a gay man.
“As a Boston kid who happened to fall into a sports career at a later stage in life I’ve kept my sexuality a ‘poorly’ kept secret for a multitude of reasons and excuses none of which make an ounce of sense anymore. Those days are over,” Baggs wrote in a letter thanking Sox leadership for bringing Bean in to speak. Among those Baggs thanked were Red Sox team President Sam Kennedy, principle owner John Henry, and owner and Chairman Tom Werner.
What’s more, Bean’s talk moved Baggs to include his words to his colleagues in an June 2 SB Nation Out Sports editorial:
Years ago I read Billy’s book, “Going the Other Way.” At the time I was too confused to take action about who I was. If someone told me 15 years ago I would be working for the Red Sox and witness an openly gay former player speak to the front office, introduced and accepted by the team president, president of baseball operations, and current bench coach… I’d have asked them to stop drinking and promptly seek help. …
One of the best parts, if not THE best part, of working in sports is the people I’ve been fortunate to work with — talented yes, but usually of like-mind, social, sharing in a common interest to be part of something bigger than themselves. In professional sports I’ve learned that, like everyone else, I need to hustle, work hard, hold myself to a high level of grit… and most importantly be myself. If I can’t do that, I can’t make it in any endeavor, including sports. …
There are great organizations doing amazing work out there like the Sports Equality Foundation, the You Can Plan Project, Outsports.com, among others who offer support and solutions for athletes, sports executives, within the LGBT community.
Thank you to my family, Billy Bean, John Henry, Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy, current and former colleagues, especially my bosses Will Droste and Ron Bumgarner, for their personal support and leadership.
I am so happy to finally, completely, be true to myself.
Tickets and details for Boston Red Sox annual Pride Night at Fenway Park are available at the event website.
