Of course, back then, no one knew he was gay; he didn't come out until two years after his playing days were over. During his brief career, a few players knew of his lifestyle choice, as did members of the Dodger's front office. The fans, however, remained blissfully ignorant. Although, if Glenn's lover, sportswriter Michael J.Smith had his way, it would have been public knowledge. Smith had pleaded with Burke to come out during the 1977 World Series against the Yankees. Something tells me that if he had, Reggie's three home run performance in game 6 wouldn't have been the only thing people were talking about. Glenn thought better of it and kept his secret, even when the Dodger higher ups decided to trade him the next year to Oakland ( basically for not keeping things on the "down low" ), for an older player with almost identical stats, Billy North.
Only one other Major League baseball player has come out since, that being journeyman outfielder Billy Bean ( not to be confused with the current A's GM), but since then, nothing. Only one NBA player, John Amaechi, has come out, also well after his playing days were over, and wrote a book about the experience entitled "Man in the middle". Surprisingly, there are three NFL players who have later admitted to being gay; Esae Tualo, Roy Simmons and Dave Kopay. Although Burke is seen in hindsight as a pioneer of sorts, his life was a sad one. After baseball, he slipped into drug addiction and eventually died of AIDS in 1995, the same year his autobiography "Out at home" was published.
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