Billy Bean, special advisor to Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, died after a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemiathe league announced Tuesday. He was 60. In a 1999 interview with the Miami Herald, Bean became the second player to come out as gay.
“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,” Manfred said in a statement. “Billy was a friend to countless people in our game, and he made a difference through his steadfast dedication to others. He made baseball a better institution, on and off the field, through the power of his example, his empathy, his communication skills, his deep relationships inside and outside of our sport, and his commitment to doing the right thing. We are forever grateful for the lasting impact 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 his entire family.”
Bean was a 24th-round draft pick of the Yankees out of Loyola Marymount in 1985. He returned to school, improved his draft stock, and was selected in the fourth round by the Tigers in 1986. He appeared in parts of six MLB seasons for the Tigers, Padres, and Dodgers as an outfielder/first baseman.
After retiring in 1995, Bean left baseball but returned in 2014 when MLB named him its first Ambassador for Inclusion.
In his role, Bean worked with Major League Baseball teams to, according to the league, “advance equity for all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees and stakeholders throughout baseball to ensure an equitable, inclusive and supportive workplace for all.”
Last December, Bean revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer in September.
“I know it’s really hard for you right now, Billy, and it’s our turn to take care of you,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. said at the time. “You have been the biggest giver since the day I met you. So even though I know it’s going to be really hard for you, it’s time for you to sit back and let us love you and care for you.”
Lovullo and Bean had been friends for decades.
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 valedictorian of his high school class to his partner’s death from AIDS and Bean skipping the funeral to avoid questions.
— Originally published by CBS News.
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