Billy Bean, a special advisor to commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB’s senior vice president for diversity, equality, and inclusion, has died after a yearlong fight with acute myeloid leukemia, the league announced Tuesday. He was 60. In an interview with the Miami Herald in 1999, Bean became the second player ever 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 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 a 24th-round draft pick by the Yankees out of Loyola Marymount in 1985. He returned to school, improving 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 appointed him as its first Ambassador for Inclusion.
In his role, Bean worked with Major League Baseball teams to, according to the league, “advance equality for all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees, and stakeholders throughout baseball to ensure an equitable, inclusive, and supportive workplace for everyone.” More, from MLB:
Billy served as a member of the MLB Owner’s DE&I Committee. He was instrumental in the development of MLB’s bullying prevention education programming and the game’s support of Spirit Day, MLB’s ‘Ahead in the Count’ education program, and elevating the visibility of MLB’s mental wellness resources.
This past December, Bean revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer in September.
“I know that it’s very hard for you right now, Billy, and it’s our turn to take care of you,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said at the time. “You have been the ultimate giver since the day that I’ve known you. So even though I know it’s going to be very tough for you, it’s time for you to sit down and let us love you up and take care of 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 his high school’s valedictorian to his partner dying of AIDS and Bean skipping the funeral to avoid questions.
