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Glenn Burke (1952
- 1995)
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Jocks
: True Stories of America's Gay Male Athletes by Dan
Woog
Find out what happens when the
final closet door--that of men in sports--finally swings open. Is
there life for gay athletes after coming out to their teammates?
Journalist Dan Woog, himself an openly gay soccer coach,
interviewed dozens of gay jocks and offers over 25 inspiring
stories of men who are truly today's champions. "Woog
characterizes the athletic locker room as "the largest,
dingiest, smelliest closet left in America." He then profiles
several dozen men, many still quite young, who have helped dispel
at least the closet part of that characterization. Each has
acknowledged his homosexuality and, with one poignant exception
("The Suicidal Jock," still adjusting as a college
junior), has come out to coaches and teammates, or, if a coach
himself, to students. Woog writes vividly about them all,
communicating the fulfillment they find in sports as well as the
satisfaction they experience in being out. He depicts them as
normally complex persons coping with normally complex life
situations, one of which is not, however, being turned on
by the sight of naked teammates. Besides plenty of soccer players
(Woog has coached the sport for 20 years), swimmers, gymnasts,
wrestlers, runners, basketballers, hockey players, and even an
"impostor," who admits going out for junior-high sports
to be near other boys, also appear, and Woog concludes with advice
to coaches on dealing with homophobia." -- Ray Olson
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Burke, Glenn (1952-1995)
PRO
BASEBALL PLAYER
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Burke
was the first professional baseball player to come out. Burke
spent two years each with the Los Angeles Dodger and the Oakland
A's and may be best known for inventing the the "high
five."
While with the Dodgers, Burke participated in
the 1977 World Series and befriended manager Tommy Lasorda's
openly gay son. In 1978 he was traded to the A's. While in Oakland
rumors began to grow that he was gay. In 1980 he was released from
the A's, he was not picked up by any other teams. Then, in 1982
Burke came out in an article in the magazine Inside Sports.
Once out of baseball, Burke struggled with drug
addiction, was severely injured in an auto accident and was
diagnosed with AIDS. He died of complications from AIDS in 1995.
Related Resources:
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By Tom Sullivan
Excerpt:
Glenn Lawrence Burke was born on November 16,
1952 in Oakland, California. His father left his mother in 1953,
and she raised eight children alone on a nursing-home aide's
salary. Glenn was a star athlete at Berkeley High School. He was
given a scholarship to the University of Denver, but, after
several months in the snow, he opted to return to a warmer
climate.
In 1972, Burke was recruited by the Los Angeles
Dodgers and sent to play in the minor leagues in Utah, Washington,
Connecticut, and New Mexico before being called on for "the
show." Weighing a lean 220 pounds, his teammates nick named
him King Kong
"Being black and gay made me tougher."
-- Glenn Burke ~ October 1994
In September of 1977 the Dodgers had the
National League West wrapped up and were anticipating a trip to
the playoffs and the World Series when Dusty Baker hit his 30th
homer for the year in a game against the Houston Astros. Burke ran
out to meet his teammate at home plate, leapt into the air, and
taught America a new way to celebrate.
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By Jim Provenzano
Excerpt:
“They can't ever say now that a gay man can't
play in the majors, because I'm a gay man and I made it." -
Glenn Burke
I only wanted one baseball card.
“You have to understand...” The gentleman
began what seemed to be a very well-rehearsed speech. “Deeze
come in series, and you buy by that. Now which set are you looking
for depends on how it’s priced, but I don’t got all day...”
By the complete absence of any other customers,
I’d say he had all week. The card shop abides out near City
College, cloistered between an abundance of Nailcare salons.
The guy who ran the place didn’t really care
about dead baseball players so much as paying the rent with
Sosa/MacGuire drink cups.
But I was just looking for one card, and that
confounded him. I was not a true collector, nor he a reputable
dealer. His sour expression turned worse when I spoke the name,
“Glenn Burke...”
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