A professional baseball player who asked that his name remain anonymous has never told his teammates that he is a homosexual, but says it doesn’t affect his life with his partner. When asked what drew him to baseball, he said, “I was given an obvious choice; baseball seemed to be a sport open to everyone, football was packed with really angry homophobes who would never admit they enjoyed sharing showers, and soccer is just too gay altogether. ” Famous for his double entendres, by 16 he was known as his high school’s top player, a hardball natural who always got on base when he was playing the field. When it came time for the big teams to send MLB recruiters looking for new talent, he said “The scouts took to me immediately, especially the ones who drove German convertibles.” Finally, on his 18th birthday, he was came out of the minor leagues to the majors, but he had no idea he would have to keep sexual preference on the down low.
After 15 years in the big leagues, he was asked to reflect on his experience as a homosexual in a one of the rare sports that doesn’t talk about its players sexuality. Approached on the subject he says, “Unlike the other sports, baseball doesn’t care which way I swing, whether I’m a pitcher or a catcher, how well I perform, or whether I’m out or not. As long as I show up, play the best baseball I can, and don’t talk about my husband’s bad taste in sculpture in post-game interviews, I haven’t had too many problems” When probed what he meant by “many problems” he admits, “The only time it was difficult was during those awful TV commercials in the nineties; I’m used to a much higher standard for musical theater.” He has been married to the same man for 11 years, having been married in a country that talks about poverty, health, and safety; not relationship status, gas prices, and religious preference. He has two adopted children and a cat who we can assure you are named with a baseball theme.
