Billy Bean, the pioneering baseball player who came out as gay, died on Tuesday, August 6, after battling acute myeloid leukemia (via CNN). Bean, born in Santa Ana, California, made an impressive debut with the Tigers, tying a record with a "four-hit performance." He gradually came out in the late 1990s. In one statement he said, "For nine years, I felt as though I had one foot in the major leagues and one on a banana peel,” expressing concerns about embarrassing his family and team. Though many sports persons still have to face homophobia, Bean's legacy continues to inspire athletes to be their authentic selves. #Queer Up Sports