In 2016, MLB Vice President of Social Responsibility and Inclusion Bill Bean spoke at a meeting between the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants in St. Petersburg, Florida. The first pitch before a baseball game.
Chris O’Meara/AP
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Chris O’Meara/AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Billy Bean has died. , senior vice president of equity and inclusion. He is 60 years old.
Major League Baseball released a statement confirming his death. Bean died at home on Tuesday after a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
The California native, who played six seasons in the majors from 1987 to 1995, had four hits in his debut with the Detroit Tigers, tying a player’s first-game record. He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. He was a two-time All-American outfielder at Loyola Marymount University and led the team to the NCAA Men’s College World Series in 1986.
Bean has written a book called “Going the Other Way” and is a keynote speaker at many events. In 1999, he publicly came out as gay, becoming the second openly gay former major leaguer after Glenn Burke.
Beane joined the commissioner’s office in 2014 when he was hired by former commissioner Bud Selig to serve as MLB’s first inclusion ambassador. He worked at Major League Baseball (MLB) for more than 10 years, eventually rising to senior vice president.
Beane works with Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs to “promote equality for all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees and stakeholders in baseball and ensure a fair, inclusive and supportive workplace for everyone. “
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement: “Today we mourn the loss of our dear friend and colleague Billy Beane, one of the kindest and most respected men I have ever known. , our hearts are broken.
