Glenn Burke - Nominee

“They can’t ever say that a gay man can’t play in the Majors, because I’m a gay man and I did it.”

- Glenn Burke

Described by many of the scouts as the next Willie Mays, Glenn Burke played major league ball with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-1978) and later with the Oakland Athletics (1978-1979).  In the 225 games of his brief career Burke batted .237, hit 2 home runs, had 38 RBIs and 35 stolen bases.  In 1977, after Dusty Baker hit a home run, Burke – who was the on-deck batter – gave Baker a high-five as he left the field and has since been credited with inventing the gesture. Burke is believed to be the first major league ball player to be outed to his teammates and the owners while he was still playing. Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda was angered by Burke’s friendship with his gay son; and General Manager Al Campanis offered to pay for a lavish honeymoon if the outfielder would just get married. (Burke refused.) With tensions growing in the clubhouse, Burke was traded to Oakland, where he saw little playing time and was forced to endure manager Billy Martin referring to him as a “faggot” in front of his teammates. Unable to cope any longer, Burke quit the team. At the age of 27 his dream of a being a major league baseball player was over after only four seasons.  Of this experience he later wrote, “Prejudice drove me out of baseball sooner than I should have. But I wasn’t changing.” The years following Burke’s premature departure from the sport – rife with drug problems, homelessness and criminal convictions – marked a bitter fall from grace.  In 1982 his homosexuality was made public in an ‘Inside Sports’ article – the same year he won 2 medals for track in the first Gay Games.  Burke died of complications from HIV in 1995 at the age of 42.