2008 Woodie Awards
Gay male athletes not wanted
Homosexuality remains a taboo topic among team sports
By: Beth Prusaczyk
Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: Opinion/Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
As St. Louis begins to come down from its World Series high, and the last fake, red soul-patch is put away next to pictures of Detroit pitcher Kenny Rogers' "dirty" hand, baseball fans everywhere are looking forward to next season. There is talk about trades, extensions and retainers, but there is one word that isn't being tossed around, but should be: homosexuality.
Pro athletes have, to put it mildly, a less than conducive environment for coming out. America's pasttime is years behind almost every other field of society. There are out-of-the-closet gays and lesbians in almost every walk of life, and society is becoming more aware of discrimination against homosexuals. However, baseball and other pro sports are taking an Army-like "don't ask, don't tell" stance and most people simply look the other way.
Gay athletes are more accepted in non-team sports such as tennis, track and field and swimming. In 1920, openly gay Bill Tilden won the men's singles at Wimbledon. Skip 68 years ahead to 1998 and Michael Muska was named athletic director of Oberlin College, making Muska the first openly gay man to hold such a title in college sports. Unfortunately, the story is vastly different for team sports such as baseball, football, basketball and volleyball.
In 1985, Ed Gallagher, an offensive lineman for the University of Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1979, jumped from a dam 12 days after his first sexual experience with a man. He survived but was left paralyzed from the waist down. Gallagher said he jumped because he was unable to reconcile his image of himself as a pro-athlete and a gay man.
In baseball, the list goes on and on. It starts with players and coaches displaying homophobic behavior. In 1998, former Yankees clubhouse assistant Paul Priore filed a lawsuit against Yankee pitchers Jeff Nelson and Mariano Rivera and former Yankee pitcher Bob Wickman. Priore claimed the pitchers harassed him with gay-bashing remarks and threatened him with sexual assault. He also claimed he was fired because he contracted HIV.
In 2006, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen got into trouble after calling a reporter a fag. Guillen apologized and said he didn't mean it that way. I'm sure Ozzie meant "fag" as a compliment.
And of course, who could forget Mets' star catcher Mike Piazza. After New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine said baseball was probably ready for an openly gay player, the media turned to finding out just whom Valentine might be referring to. Rumors circulated around Piazza. Apparently it bothered him so much he held a Seinfeld-esque press conference to say he was not gay - not that there's anything wrong with that.
Players have come out, although not while playing. Glenn Burke played for the Dodgers and the Oakland A's from 1976 to 1979. Burke came out to his family and friends in 1975, but kept it secret from his teammates. In his autobiography, Burke said Dodgers' management offered to pay for a luxurious getaway if he would agree to conceal his homosexuality. When he refused, Burke said he was traded to the Oakland A's. Once Burke was there, A's manager Billy Martin made public statements about not wanting a homosexual in his clubhouse, clearly referring to Burke. Burke was left with no choice but to retire.
The environment of pro sports and society's image of the all-American, manly male athlete offer little solace to a gay athlete. Some are looking for a gay Jackie Robinson - the first player to break the color barrier. I'm looking for the next Branch Rickey - the baseball executive who signed Robinson and moved baseball forward.
Beth Prusaczyk, a senior journalism major, is a staff writer for The Journal.
Pro athletes have, to put it mildly, a less than conducive environment for coming out. America's pasttime is years behind almost every other field of society. There are out-of-the-closet gays and lesbians in almost every walk of life, and society is becoming more aware of discrimination against homosexuals. However, baseball and other pro sports are taking an Army-like "don't ask, don't tell" stance and most people simply look the other way.
Gay athletes are more accepted in non-team sports such as tennis, track and field and swimming. In 1920, openly gay Bill Tilden won the men's singles at Wimbledon. Skip 68 years ahead to 1998 and Michael Muska was named athletic director of Oberlin College, making Muska the first openly gay man to hold such a title in college sports. Unfortunately, the story is vastly different for team sports such as baseball, football, basketball and volleyball.
In 1985, Ed Gallagher, an offensive lineman for the University of Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1979, jumped from a dam 12 days after his first sexual experience with a man. He survived but was left paralyzed from the waist down. Gallagher said he jumped because he was unable to reconcile his image of himself as a pro-athlete and a gay man.
In baseball, the list goes on and on. It starts with players and coaches displaying homophobic behavior. In 1998, former Yankees clubhouse assistant Paul Priore filed a lawsuit against Yankee pitchers Jeff Nelson and Mariano Rivera and former Yankee pitcher Bob Wickman. Priore claimed the pitchers harassed him with gay-bashing remarks and threatened him with sexual assault. He also claimed he was fired because he contracted HIV.
In 2006, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen got into trouble after calling a reporter a fag. Guillen apologized and said he didn't mean it that way. I'm sure Ozzie meant "fag" as a compliment.
And of course, who could forget Mets' star catcher Mike Piazza. After New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine said baseball was probably ready for an openly gay player, the media turned to finding out just whom Valentine might be referring to. Rumors circulated around Piazza. Apparently it bothered him so much he held a Seinfeld-esque press conference to say he was not gay - not that there's anything wrong with that.
Players have come out, although not while playing. Glenn Burke played for the Dodgers and the Oakland A's from 1976 to 1979. Burke came out to his family and friends in 1975, but kept it secret from his teammates. In his autobiography, Burke said Dodgers' management offered to pay for a luxurious getaway if he would agree to conceal his homosexuality. When he refused, Burke said he was traded to the Oakland A's. Once Burke was there, A's manager Billy Martin made public statements about not wanting a homosexual in his clubhouse, clearly referring to Burke. Burke was left with no choice but to retire.
The environment of pro sports and society's image of the all-American, manly male athlete offer little solace to a gay athlete. Some are looking for a gay Jackie Robinson - the first player to break the color barrier. I'm looking for the next Branch Rickey - the baseball executive who signed Robinson and moved baseball forward.
Beth Prusaczyk, a senior journalism major, is a staff writer for The Journal.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Eric Carlson
posted 11/16/06 @ 2:45 PM CST
Great story with tremendous insight here. I encourage people to see the film "Glory Road." Then, make a comparison between the struggle black americans have had with equal rights and bigotry with gay and lesbian americans. (Continued…)
Chuck Johnson
posted 2/15/07 @ 8:51 PM CST
I am sorry. . .Why are we acting like two men who are simulating the normal sex act between a male and a female are normal? Why are we afraid to call homosexuality what it is. (Continued…)
Arthur Stewart
posted 2/16/07 @ 2:02 AM CST
"People who are speaking up are being called homophobic. Why is this, they are not afraid of gays."
You're right, but calling someone close-minded or ignorant just doesn't have the fun ring to it. (Continued…)
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