MLB celebrates Billy Bean's lasting legacy, making baseball a safe space for all

NEW YORK -- Family, friends and colleagues of Billy Bean have been mourning his death since he passed away on Aug. 6. On Thursday, they took time to celebrate his life, one which left a lasting impact on nearly everybody who was fortunate to cross paths with him.

Bean, Major League Baseball’s Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, passed away from acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 60. But his memory will continue to live for years to come -- a point that was emphasized by more than a half-dozen speakers who addressed Bean's friends, colleagues and family members at a celebration of his life at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater.

“He was always present, and when you're present in gratitude, you cannot be anywhere else,” said D-backs manager Torey Lovullo, a former teammate and friend for the past 40 years. “This is who he was at his core, and that's why everybody deserves a Billy Bean in their life. For me personally, when I think of Billy, I think of the words ‘every time.’

“Every time you needed a friend, every time you needed to cry, every time you needed advice, every time you needed support, needed to be challenged, every time you needed someone to listen, every time you needed somebody to push you, every time you wanted somebody to believe in you, every time you want somebody to love you -- Billy was your guy.”

Bean was the only living openly gay Major League player (current or former), having come out in 1999, more than three years after he had played his final game. Bean played for the Tigers, Dodgers and Padres from 1987-1995, logging a total of 519 plate appearances in 272 career games.

Bean joined the Office of the Commissioner in July 2014, hired by then-Commissioner Bud Selig as MLB’s first Ambassador for Inclusion. As a senior advisor to Commissioner Rob Manfred, Bean’s role focused on player education, LGBTQ inclusion and social justice initiatives.

MLB promoted Bean to Vice President and Special Assistant to the Commissioner in March 2017, adding anti-bullying efforts to his responsibilities. Five years later, Bean was promoted to Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“Billy was a one of one in his expanded oversight of our diversity programs and inclusion efforts,” Manfred said. “I cannot think of another human being who could have combined his perspective as a former big leaguer, his wide-ranging skill set, his eagerness to listen, his aversion to casting judgment, his unrelenting desire to do the right thing and his unique experience as a gay man in the culture of our game.

“Through his kindness, his empathy and his lived experience, Billy made our game a better institution. … What a great legacy he has left to the game he loved.”

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg recalled a trip Bean made to St. Petersburg shortly after he joined MLB in 2014, spending a day with Tampa Bay’s players and staff. Bean made such a profound impact that day that a long-tenured Rays employee came out to his colleagues as gay shortly thereafter, which Sternberg said served as “a break in the dam that led to additional employees following suit.”

Bean also mourned with the Rays following a 2016 mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub, helping players and staff cope with the harsh reality of the tragedy.

“Billy has made our game safer, more inclusive and better,” Sternberg said. “He set the highest standard with his level of kindness, warmth and understanding. Billy had no space for anger or frustration in his approach; he met bigoted views with neither fear nor judgment. He welcomed every conversation, knowing that only through trust and love could we change hearts and minds.

"He taught us all that we must create space for change, and we do that by being open to all points of view. He was the embodiment of strength, athleticism and kindness. He used those qualities to make all those around him feel seen, heard and valued.”

Bean connected with Brian Cashman after he joined MLB, asking the Yankees general manager to introduce him to baseball operations executives around the league during that fall’s GM meetings. A few months later, Cashman invited Bean to speak with the Yankees during Spring Training, addressing the organization about inclusion and safe spaces.

“I remember [assistant GM] Jean Afterman telling me that a young Aaron Judge, after Billy's day with us, went out of his way and said, ‘Thank you, brother,’ and Billy reciting how much that meant to him,” Cashman said. “At that time, Aaron Judge was a young prospect who wasn't who he is today as one of the great impactful players in the game's history. The impact on the game Billy loved had begun with those types of moments, and Billy would do this with every organization that would ask. What a transformational figure for our sport he would become.

“The Yankees evolved because of Billy Bean. We are a long storied, historic franchise, and because of a person like Billy Bean, the Steinbrenner family embraced his message and Major League Baseball's message of inclusion, which spread throughout -- which was his intent -- ensuring that Yankee Stadium was a safe place of inclusion.”

During a video shown at the start of the celebration, Bean talked about how getting to the Hall of Fame was an aspiration when he first embarked on his big league career. The back of his baseball card never displayed statistics worthy of Cooperstown, but Cashman suggested Thursday that Bean’s work during the past decade should prompt the Hall to open its doors to his late friend.

“Billy said that he had dreams of being in the Hall of Fame,” Cashman said. “I believe he belongs there for what he has done and the impact he's had on many. If he isn’t the definition of the Hall of Famer, I don't know who is.”

Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus, who roomed with Bean for more than two years during their time as Padres teammates, said Bean “became a big brother” to him in those years.

“He was just a really, really good human with a huge heart; he will be missed,” Ausmus said. “We’re all better having had Billy in our lives.”

In addition to his work with MLB, Bean was engaged with the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which provides health care for New York’s LGBTQ community. Donnie Roberts, the center’s Executive Vice President, spoke about Bean’s impact before announcing that Callen-Lorde will dedicate an exam room at its Chelsea location to Bean in 2025.

“Through his work with MLB, with Callen-Lorde and beyond, Billy amplified the importance of inclusion and visibility,” Roberts said. “He used his platform to inspire and create change. For many, he was a beacon of hope of what could be possible, an example that you could be LGBTQ and thrive in professional sports. Beyond that, he saw and celebrated the importance of the work others were doing, often making us feel like the work we did was just as critical as his.”

April Brown, MLB’s Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility and Diversity, also announced that the league will make a $50,000 donation to Callen-Lorde in Bean’s memory.

Jane Son, the Mets’ head of community engagement, spoke through tears as she remembered her friend and colleague. After recounting Bean’s impact on both her and the Mets' organization, Son ended with a call to action from those in attendance and watching online.

“He was such a champion of equality and inclusion, and I know that we’ve all heard it from so many others and Billy said it, too: Words matter,” Son said. “You don't know who you are impacting and you don't know who you may be crushing. So let's just be friendlier to each other and let's just start there.”

The most poignant speaker Thursday was Bean’s husband, Greg Baker, who noted that Bean’s work was as meaningful to him as it was to those he touched along the way.

“He swiftly became one of the most trusted voices in the sport of baseball; he had truly come home again,” Baker said. “His position and influence have become the gold standard throughout the world of sports. Billy's impact extended far beyond the playing field; he was a champion for change using his platform to advocate for acceptance and understanding. His bravery not only helped to break down barriers, but also inspired countless individuals to embrace their true selves with pride.”

Baker cited a Native American belief that every person experiences two deaths: the physical death of the body, followed by a second death when they are forgotten by those they leave behind.

“We understand that this first death has come, but we are determined that his second death will not follow,” Baker said. “Billy lived a life of meaning, leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire and guide us. His remarkable story, his valuable work and the love he shared with us will ensure that he is remembered and honored always. Billy, I love you always.”