Glenn Burke documentary important reminder of past struggles, current issues for athletes and sexual orientation
Hollywood is in the business of putting keisters in seats, and right now business is good. It's also why there's a new movie coming out about the Oakland A's that features Brad Pitt as Billy Beane (the "Moneyball" one), and not Jamie Foxx as Glenn Burke. The former is safe -- unless you hate math. The latter would definitely be controversial. And here in 2011, that's sad indeed.
Burke, as you may know, was the first openly gay player in the majors. Although he didn't officially come out until two years after he retired, his true sexuality was common knowledge among other players when he played. He was in the majors for only four seasons, with the Dodgers and the A's, and some say he walked away. But many of his friends and teammates say he was driven out of the game because of his sexual orientation. That was in 1979. By 1995 he was dead, a victim of AIDS.
14 comments:
Bout sick of all the gayness being forced on society.
to 8:30
Gay people are part of society, not forced on society. And if you don't like gay people then you should probably leave the shore, because centuries of intermarriage appear to have produced a statistical anomaly of gay people in the colonial families of Delmarva.
- David Hearne
The operative word is "openly" gay. Undoubtedly, there are a good many closeted gays playing in the majors. And why shouldn't they? If a guy can play ball, who cares what his love interests are? We've certainly come a long way since the '70's, though some who post on this blog are still relics of those times.
Being gay is a perversion and a mental illness but rest assured there are clinics that have helped people recover from the affliction good luck.
That coming from a teacher who tries to warp the minds of all the new liberals coming out on the world today... I guess Obama means change too...
we need to start over and get rid of liberals and democrats...
how was he a VICTIM of AIDS?
how about that is the consequence of unprotected 4n4l sex? jeez, so being gay is now a VICTIM?
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
How anyone can consider themselves ok in the eyes of our Lord and still portray themselves so sanctimonious and pious, and so above and judgemental of their fellow man or woman, I do not understand. God and Jesus loved all people. This issue should already be over with! We need to worry about the economy...no one should care who loves who (at least they show love). Get a life!!
Yay 8:29! You are absolutely correct.
Tolerance is a word that they used to disarm moral clarity. The reason our country is failing is because of the moral decline. Be intolerant.
SO many hate filled Jesus lovers. The irony. And did I see someone insert politics into this? This site is the best.
neither is america, but theyre shoving it down our throats anyway.
the only place this disease is accepted anymore is politics and tv - both liberal. the pentagon still classifies this as a disease as does the FDA. FDA will not allow blood donations from gay men.
so, they may have written it off in the political realm, but the powers to be know what it is still.
For goodness sake people! There have been gay people since there have been people. The shore is full of uneducated, sanctimonious, closed-minded fools. You would rather have a conversation with a wife-beating alcoholic than a gay person.
@855am
idk, which one is seeking the medical help they need?
oh, and did the wife deserve it?
Anon 8:55 - I rest my case - there is NO intelligent life here.
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