Former Tigers draft pick Billy Bean leaves indelible mark on MLB in wake of death

Billy Bean, a fourth-round draft pick for the Tigers in 1986 who spent three seasons in Detroit, matched an MLB record when he picked up four hits in his April 25, 1987 debut. He spent two-plus years with the Tigers before being traded to the Dodgers and then eventually heading over to Japan to spend a season in NPB. When he returned to MLB, he was a Padre for three seasons before retiring after the 1995 campaign.

All told, Bean's major league career only spanned six years, and he stepped away from the game until 2014, when he joined then-commissioner Bud Selig's office as MLB's Ambassador for Inclusion. Rob Manfred brought him over at the beginning of his tenure as a senior advisor and he was promoted twice before being named MLB's Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Bean, one of only three major league players to come out as gay in the game's history, dedicated the last years of his life to LGBTQ inclusion, mental health awareness, and anti-bullying initiatives within baseball.

He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2023, and died in his home in Oakland on Aug. 6. He was 60.

Former Tiger and LGBTQ advocate Billy Bean passes away after yearlong battle with leukemia

Bean didn't disclose his sexuality publicly until 1999, three years after he retired from baseball. He spoke openly about his struggles as a closeted gay man while playing in the major leagues in the years prior, revealing the loss of his partner to AIDS-related complications the same year he announced his retirement. He said, "I swore to myself I would never again let baseball take precedence over my life. If I ever fell in love again, that relationship would come ahead of my career."

Still, he came back over two decades later to devote the rest of his career to making baseball a safe space for LGBTQ players and fans. During Bean's tenure as MLB's Senior VP of DEI, 29 out of 30 teams instituted annual Pride Nights (the Texas Rangers are the lone exception).

Rob Manfred said in a statement on Bean's passing, "Our hearts are broken today as we mourn our dear friend and colleague, Billy Bean, one of the kindest and most respected individuals I have ever known. Billy was a friend to countless people across our game, and he made a difference through his constant dedication to others."

Bean will be long remembered for his contributions to the game, especially the manner in which he helped grow the sport's audience in a nurturing manner despite the many obstacles he faced.