Billy Bean
From BR Bullpen
- Note: This page links to Billy Bean, the former major leaguer who acknowledged his homosexuality in 1999. For the current Oakland Athletics general manager, click here.
William Daro Bean
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 1", Weight 185 lb.
- School Loyola Marymount University
- High School Santa Ana High School
- Debut April 25, 1987
- Final Game July 8, 1995
- Born May 11, 1964 in Santa Ana, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
After his major league career ended, Billy Bean became one of only two (Glenn Burke is the other) former major leaguers to acknowledge his homosexuality. Bean would later write a book, Going the Other Way, about his experiences.
A star athlete in high school, he attended Loyola Marymount University and was a second-team baseball All-American there twice. He has a degree in business administration.
Bean was signed as a 4th round pick in the 1986 amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers and scout Rick Arnold. He broke into the major leagues in 1987, playing 26 games with the pennant-winning Tigers as an outfielder. He played in the majors during parts of the 1987-1989 seasons, and then not again until 1993.
He got married in 1989, and the marriage lasted for a few years.
Bean played in 1992 with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, apparently not liking the experience.[citation needed] He was only 5-24 with 2 2B for Kinetsu, and signed with the California Angels in July, playing 39 games with the Edmonton Trappers.
He got the most playing time in 1993 and 1994, getting around 300 at-bats in those two seasons with the San Diego Padres as the fourth outfielder and occasional first baseman.
In 1995, his last year in major league baseball, he was struggling with the death of his partner and not being able to tell people about it.
In 1999 Bean acknowledged his homosexuality in a New York Times article. Afterwards, some players stated that they were OK with it, while others said they would not want a gay teammate. Since Bean was a likeable guy, his former manager Jim Riggleman said "he was such a good guy that I think it would have been all right on the club." [citation needed]
He and his current partner live in Miami Beach and develop properties. A film about his life is expected to air on Showtime.
