MLB executive Billy Bean, one of the first openly gay baseball players in MLB, died at age 60 after a battle with leukemia, the league announced Tuesday.
Bean was the MLB’s Senior Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as well as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner. Bean was hired by MLB as an “Ambassador of Inclusion” in 2014, the first role of its kind MLB, before rising to his current post. He was diagnosed with leukemia last December.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague Billy Bean, MLB’s Senior VP for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Special Assistant to the Commissioner. Billy, who fought a heroic year-long battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, was 60.
Over the last 10 years,… pic.twitter.com/dCfFM6hQlE
— MLB (@MLB) August 6, 2024
Throughout 10 years with the league, Bean focused on LGBTQ inclusion and social justice initiatives as well as player education, according to MLB. Bean worked with all 30 MLB clubs to advance equality for all players and employees.
In an MLB statement, Commissioner Rob Manfred called Bean “one of the kindest and most respected individuals I have ever known.”
“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,” Manfred wrote.
A former outfielder, Bean played for three MLB teams across eight years, starting out with the Detroit Tigers in 1987 and spending a season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989. He finished his career with the San Diego Padres from 1993 to 1995. Bean publicly came out as gay in 1999, becoming the second player to do so after Glenn Burke.
