Former MLB outfielder and executive Billy Bean has died at the age of 60 following an 11-month battle with acute myeloid leukemia, the league announced on Tuesday (August 6).
Bean, who came out as the second openly gay player in MLB history, served as the league's senior vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Bean, not to be confused with former Oakland A's general manager and Moneyball inspiration Billy Beane, played in the majors for eight seasons with three teams: the Detroit Tigers (1987-1989), Los Angeles Dodgers (1989) and San Diego Padres (1993-95), having also spent the 1992 season with the Kintetsu Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan. The California native came out as gay to his parents and friends after his retirement in 1995 and publicly in an exclusive interview with the Miami Herald in 1999.
“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 via MLB.com. “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.”
Bean was appointed as MLB's first 'Ambassador for Inclusion' in July 2014, which included counseling David Denson, the first openly gay minor league player signed to an MLB organization, before later becoming the league's senior vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
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