BASEBALL!

Dominique · 09-22-2012, 10:20 AM

Kevin McClatchy reveals he is gay

Updated: September 22, 2012, 11:54 AM ET

ESPN.com news services

Kevin McClatchy, the owner and CEO of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1996 to 2007, has acknowledged he is gay to The New York Times, saying frequent homophobic slurs he heard in baseball circles had convinced him to keep his sexual orientation a secret.
McClatchy, an heir to a newspaper chain who sold his shares of the Pirates in 2009 only after ensuring that the club remained in Pittsburgh, said the time had finally come to speak openly about his sexuality.

[+] Enlarge

Rich Pilling/MLB Photos/Getty Images"Kevin McClatchy saved the Pittsburgh Pirates," commissioner Bud Selig said in 2007, after McClatchy resigned as CEO.

"You're not going to solve any problem until you start a dialogue," McClatchy told The Times for an op-ed story published in Sunday's editions. "And there's no dialogue right now."
McClatchy will also be the subject of Wednesday's "Outside The Lines" (3 p.m. ET on ESPN).
"I've got a birthday coming up where I'm turning old," McClatchy, who will turn 50 in January, told The Times. "I've spent 30 years -- or whatever the number is specifically -- not talking about my personal life, lying about my personal life."
McClatchy is not the first major-league executive or former executive to come out as gay. Rick Welts, the president and chief executive officer of the Phoenix Suns, revealed his sexuality last year.
"This has been challenging to me," he told The Times of his decision to reveal his sexual orientation. "I probably didn't sleep as well as I could have last night."
McClatchy boasted of baseball's ending of racial segregation in sports while saying he didn't think players considered it similar to one of their own coming out as gay.
"I don't think they equate breaking the color barrier with Jackie Robinson to, 'Hey, by the way, we've never had one player announce they're gay while playing baseball.' "
A native of Sacramento, McClatchy spent more than six months assembling the shareholders and cash necessary to buy the Pirates in February 1996, after local ownership could not be found and it appeared the money-losing team might be relocated.
He announced his resignation as chief executive officer in July 2007.
McClatchy emerged as a surprise bidder for the Pirates in 1995, after Pennsylvania cable TV franchise owner John Rigas was designated to buy the team but did not complete the transaction. Then-NL president Len Coleman guided McClatchy's group through the $95 million transaction so a franchise now worth three times that amount would not leave.
While McClatchy kept the Pirates in Pittsburgh, and was the driving force in getting PNC Park financed and built for the 2001 season, the team never had a winning season while he was the owner.
"I take responsibility for the losing, that's probably in some ways reason for a change," McClatchy said in 2007.
McClatchy's lobbying also was instrumental in the 2006 All-Star Game being played in PNC Park, only 12 years after the game was staged in Three Rivers Stadium.
"Kevin McClatchy saved the Pittsburgh Pirates. He assumed control of the franchise amid considerable turmoil and during the worst economic period in baseball history," commissioner Bud Selig said in 2007.

Kobi · 10-03-2012, 11:41 PM

Well, the regular season is over.

Congrats to the division winners: Yanks, Tigers, Athletics; Nationals, Reds, Giants. And the wild cards : Orioles, Rangers, Braves, Cardinals.

RIP 2012 Red Sox. Record 69-93. Good for 5th place (aka last place). Nowhere to go but up guys!

I'm hoping the A's go all the way. It's time for Billy Beane to have his day with the lowest payroll in baseball and a starting rotation of all rookie pitchers.

A's-Giants World Series would be sweet. A's-Nationals would be sweet too.

Hollylane · 10-05-2012, 09:14 PM

Go O's!!!

Hollylane · 10-05-2012, 10:08 PM

YES!!!!

Ciaran · 10-06-2012, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kobi

Well, the regular season is over.

Congrats to the division winners: Yanks, Tigers, Athletics; Nationals, Reds, Giants. And the wild cards : Orioles, Rangers, Braves, Cardinals.

RIP 2012 Red Sox. Record 69-93. Good for 5th place (aka last place). Nowhere to go but up guys!

I'm hoping the A's go all the way. It's time for Billy Beane to have his day with the lowest payroll in baseball and a starting rotation of all rookie pitchers.

A's-Giants World Series would be sweet. A's-Nationals would be sweet too.

I've limited interest in modern day baseball but, as an onlooker, it appeared to be a fascinating season with many great stories including 3 perfect games, 7 no-hitters, Hamilton's 4 home run game, Rodriguez tying with Gehrig for most career Grand Slams, Moyer becoming oldest pitcher to win a game, Fister striking out 9 consecutive batters and many more incidents and stories that have slipped my mind.

It would be rather ironic were the A's to win the World Series given the recent Moneyball film. Some have made reference to a movie about the Red Sox being released shortly before they won the World Series in 2004.

Personally, although they haven't been very impressive recently, I hope that the Yankees can do it, especially as this year is the 80th anniversary of Babe Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 Series rout of the Chicago Cubs.

More so, following on the back of Moneyball, I'm very much looking forward to the release of "42", the movie about Jackie Robinson who, of course, was the first black player to play in the major leagues:

Also, whilst on the subject of movies, as some of you likely know, I am a strong collector of original vintage baseball photography. This is one of the photos I picked up when in the United States over recent weeks. It's an original photo during the filming of one of the greatest ever baseball films of all time, Slide Kelly Slide (1927).

It shows Hollywood actor William Haines as a baseball player, pictured with a number of real life baseball legends of the era, Tony Lazzeri, my favourite player of all-time, Bob Meusel and, his brother, Irish Meusel. For the purpose of the film, all these players are pictured here in NY Yankees uniforms, even though Irish was actually a NY Giants player !!

Hollylane · 10-11-2012, 10:25 PM

Kobi · 10-12-2012, 01:49 AM

Well, Oaklands miracle season came to an end. I am bummed but it is nice to see the Tigers humming along.

Giants ousted the Reds. Wow. They have been battling all year. Nice comeback.

Nationals-Cards, Yanks-Orioles do or die time.

macele · 10-12-2012, 08:03 AM

i hated to see the reds go. i've always loved cal ripken jr. i'm hollerin' real loud for the orioles lol. not a yankee fan, so that gives me extra hollers.

Ciaran · 10-13-2012, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macele

i hated to see the reds go. i've always loved cal ripken jr. i'm hollerin' real loud for the orioles lol. not a yankee fan, so that gives me extra hollers.

Great to see the Yankees make it through - the way it should be every year.

Now for revenge against Detroit after last year's defeat.

Hack · 10-13-2012, 05:25 PM

This lifelong, die-hard Tigers fan cannot wait to see a lot of this in the ALCS:

That would be A-Rod striking out. And this was shot at Yankees Stadium, so those are Yankees fans booing him.

Tigers have superior starting pitching, but a weaker bullpen. It's going to come down to who brings the bats. And we already know that won't be A-Rod.

Leigh · 10-13-2012, 06:15 PM

I have to say the Giants and the Yankees

09-22-2012, 10:20 AM	#1
Dominique Member How Do You Identify?: Female/Lesbian/half the athlete I used to be Preferred Pronoun?: she/her Relationship Status: Dates Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: So proud to be a Pittsburgher Posts: 1,484 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,645 Thanked 3,730 Times in 1,166 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Happy Birthday Kevin! Kevin McClatchy reveals he is gay Updated: September 22, 2012, 11:54 AM ET ESPN.com news services Recommend 30 Tweet 69 Comments 118 Email Print Kevin McClatchy, the owner and CEO of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1996 to 2007, has acknowledged he is gay to The New York Times, saying frequent homophobic slurs he heard in baseball circles had convinced him to keep his sexual orientation a secret. McClatchy, an heir to a newspaper chain who sold his shares of the Pirates in 2009 only after ensuring that the club remained in Pittsburgh, said the time had finally come to speak openly about his sexuality. [+] EnlargeRich Pilling/MLB Photos/Getty Images"Kevin McClatchy saved the Pittsburgh Pirates," commissioner Bud Selig said in 2007, after McClatchy resigned as CEO. "You're not going to solve any problem until you start a dialogue," McClatchy told The Times for an op-ed story published in Sunday's editions. "And there's no dialogue right now." McClatchy will also be the subject of Wednesday's "Outside The Lines" (3 p.m. ET on ESPN). "I've got a birthday coming up where I'm turning old," McClatchy, who will turn 50 in January, told The Times. "I've spent 30 years -- or whatever the number is specifically -- not talking about my personal life, lying about my personal life." McClatchy is not the first major-league executive or former executive to come out as gay. Rick Welts, the president and chief executive officer of the Phoenix Suns, revealed his sexuality last year. "This has been challenging to me," he told The Times of his decision to reveal his sexual orientation. "I probably didn't sleep as well as I could have last night." McClatchy boasted of baseball's ending of racial segregation in sports while saying he didn't think players considered it similar to one of their own coming out as gay. "I don't think they equate breaking the color barrier with Jackie Robinson to, 'Hey, by the way, we've never had one player announce they're gay while playing baseball.' " A native of Sacramento, McClatchy spent more than six months assembling the shareholders and cash necessary to buy the Pirates in February 1996, after local ownership could not be found and it appeared the money-losing team might be relocated. He announced his resignation as chief executive officer in July 2007. McClatchy emerged as a surprise bidder for the Pirates in 1995, after Pennsylvania cable TV franchise owner John Rigas was designated to buy the team but did not complete the transaction. Then-NL president Len Coleman guided McClatchy's group through the $95 million transaction so a franchise now worth three times that amount would not leave. While McClatchy kept the Pirates in Pittsburgh, and was the driving force in getting PNC Park financed and built for the 2001 season, the team never had a winning season while he was the owner. "I take responsibility for the losing, that's probably in some ways reason for a change," McClatchy said in 2007. McClatchy's lobbying also was instrumental in the 2006 All-Star Game being played in PNC Park, only 12 years after the game was staged in Three Rivers Stadium. "Kevin McClatchy saved the Pittsburgh Pirates. He assumed control of the franchise amid considerable turmoil and during the worst economic period in baseball history," commissioner Bud Selig said in 2007. __________________ As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be??

10-13-2012, 06:15 PM	#11
Leigh Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her, etc Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 7,767 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,029 Thanked 13,024 Times in 4,784 Posts Rep Power: 21474859	I have to say the Giants and the Yankees __________________ "When you fall off the wagon ... clutch the sides of it until you get a better grip!"

10-03-2012, 11:41 PM	#2
Kobi Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Biological female. Lesbian. Relationship Status: Happy Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hanging out in the Atlantic. Posts: 9,234 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,840 Thanked 34,635 Times in 7,642 Posts Rep Power: 21474861	Well, the regular season is over. Congrats to the division winners: Yanks, Tigers, Athletics; Nationals, Reds, Giants. And the wild cards : Orioles, Rangers, Braves, Cardinals. RIP 2012 Red Sox. Record 69-93. Good for 5th place (aka last place). Nowhere to go but up guys! I'm hoping the A's go all the way. It's time for Billy Beane to have his day with the lowest payroll in baseball and a starting rotation of all rookie pitchers. A's-Giants World Series would be sweet. A's-Nationals would be sweet too.

10-05-2012, 09:14 PM	#3
Hollylane Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: . Preferred Pronoun?: . Relationship Status: . Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: . Posts: 11,495 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 34,694 Thanked 26,359 Times in 5,875 Posts Rep Power: 21474862	Go O's!!!

10-05-2012, 10:08 PM	#4
Hollylane Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: . Preferred Pronoun?: . Relationship Status: . Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: . Posts: 11,495 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 34,694 Thanked 26,359 Times in 5,875 Posts Rep Power: 21474862	YES!!!!

10-11-2012, 10:25 PM	#6
Hollylane Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: . Preferred Pronoun?: . Relationship Status: . Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: . Posts: 11,495 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 34,694 Thanked 26,359 Times in 5,875 Posts Rep Power: 21474862

10-12-2012, 01:49 AM	#7
Kobi Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Biological female. Lesbian. Relationship Status: Happy Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hanging out in the Atlantic. Posts: 9,234 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,840 Thanked 34,635 Times in 7,642 Posts Rep Power: 21474861	Well, Oaklands miracle season came to an end. I am bummed but it is nice to see the Tigers humming along. Giants ousted the Reds. Wow. They have been battling all year. Nice comeback. Nationals-Cards, Yanks-Orioles do or die time.

10-12-2012, 08:03 AM	#8
macele Member How Do You Identify?: a bold-assed maximus Preferred Pronoun?: she Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: mississippi Posts: 1,066 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,178 Thanked 3,231 Times in 847 Posts Rep Power: 21474850	i hated to see the reds go. i've always loved cal ripken jr. i'm hollerin' real loud for the orioles lol. not a yankee fan, so that gives me extra hollers.

10-13-2012, 05:25 PM	#10
Hack Just a guy. How Do You Identify?: Just a guy Preferred Pronoun?: male Relationship Status: Sparkle's consort Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: MA Posts: 1,458 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 807 Thanked 3,775 Times in 958 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	This lifelong, die-hard Tigers fan cannot wait to see a lot of this in the ALCS: That would be A-Rod striking out. And this was shot at Yankees Stadium, so those are Yankees fans booing him. Tigers have superior starting pitching, but a weaker bullpen. It's going to come down to who brings the bats. And we already know that won't be A-Rod.