Former MLB player Billy Bean dies at 60 after battling leukemia

Former MLB player Billy Bean has died at the age of 60… Major League Baseball announced Tuesday.

Bean, who served as the league’s senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and special assistant to the commissioner, passed away after a yearlong battle with acute myeloid leukemia.

Bean, one of the first openly gay MLB players, was first diagnosed with the disease in September 2023… but only made the news public during the MLB Winter Meetings in December. During the meetings, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo He became emotional when he spoke about his longtime friend… saying it was time to help him “take care of him.”

Bean played seven years of professional basketball, including a season in Japan. After his playing days… he spent his time working with the league and its 30 teams to work on LGBTQ+ inclusion, social justice initiatives, and player education to bring more equality to the game.

MLB Commissioner Manfredi’s stuff released a statement on Bean’s passing… calling him “one of the kindest, most respected people I have ever known.”

“Billy was a friend to countless people in our sport and made a difference through his unwavering dedication to others,” Manfred said. “He made baseball a better institution, both on and off the field, through the power of his example, his empathy, his communication skills, his deep relationships inside and outside of the game and his commitment to doing the right thing.”