Glenn Burke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glenn Burke |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 16, 1952 Oakland, California |
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| Died: May 30, 1995 (aged 42) San Leandro, California |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1976, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 4, 1979, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .237 | ||
| Home runs | 2 | ||
| Runs batted in | 38 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Glenn Lawrence Burke (born November 16, 1952 – died May 30, 1995) was a talented Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics from 1976 to 1979. Glenn Burke was the first MLB player known to be openly gay while playing in the Major Leagues.
Being open about his identity was very difficult for him. It caused him a lot of stress and made his professional life harder. He decided to retire from Major League Baseball after four years. He famously said, "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."
In October 1977, Burke and his Dodgers teammate Dusty Baker created something special. After Baker hit a home run, Burke raised his hand. Baker slapped it, and they are widely known for inventing the high five.
After leaving baseball, Burke stayed active in sports. He competed in the 1982 Gay Olympics, which are now called the Gay Games. He ran in track events and played basketball in 1986. He also played in the San Francisco Gay Softball League for many years.
Glenn Burke passed away in 1995. In 2013, he was one of the first people to be added to the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2015, Burke was also honored in the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals.
Contents
Early Sports Career
Glenn Burke was an amazing high school basketball player. He led the Berkeley High School Yellow Jackets to a perfect season in 1970. They won the Northern California championships that year. Burke could dunk a basketball with both hands, which was very rare for someone under 6 feet tall.
He was chosen for the all-tournament team at the Tournament of Champions (TOC). He also won a Northern California MVP award. In 1970, Burke was named Northern California's High School Basketball Player of the Year.
In 1970, Burke received a scholarship to the University of Denver. But after a few months, he returned home to Oakland. He then went to Merritt College and played on its baseball team. The Los Angeles Dodgers noticed his talent and signed him to play in their minor league system in 1971.
Major League Baseball Journey
Early in his career, an assistant coach said Burke could be like the next Willie Mays. Burke was a highly watched player in the Los Angeles Dodgers' minor league system. He was eventually called up to play for the main team.
Being openly gay made his time with the Dodgers difficult. The Dodgers' General Manager, Al Campanis, once offered to pay for a fancy honeymoon if Burke would get married. Burke refused. He also became friends with manager Tommy Lasorda's son, Tommy Lasorda, Jr. This upset Lasorda. The Dodgers later traded Burke to the Oakland Athletics for Billy North. The team said they needed an experienced player. Many Dodgers players were sad to see him go. Teammate Davey Lopes said, "He was the life of the team, on the buses, in the clubhouse, everywhere."
In Oakland, Burke did not play much in the 1978 and 1979 seasons. He faced unfair treatment from some other players and from the Athletics' management. In 1980, during spring training, Burke hurt his knee. The team's manager, Billy Martin, sent Burke to a minor league team in Utah. His contract ended before the season was over.
In his four seasons in the Major Leagues, Burke played 225 games for the Dodgers and Athletics. He had 523 times at bat. He batted .237, hit two home runs, had 38 runs batted in, and stole 35 bases.
The High Five's Origin
On October 2, 1977, Glenn Burke ran onto the field to celebrate with his Dodgers teammate Dusty Baker. Baker had just hit his 30th home run in the last game of the season. Burke raised his hand over his head as Baker ran home. Baker, not sure what to do, slapped Burke's hand. This moment is widely recognized as the invention of the high five.
This event was featured in an ESPN 30 for 30 film called The High Five. The high five is now a very common gesture. After retiring from baseball, Burke used the high five with other LGBTQ people in the Castro district of San Francisco. There, it became a symbol of gay pride and a way for people to recognize each other.
Life After Baseball and His Legacy
Glenn Burke continued to be active in sports after he stopped playing baseball. He won medals in the 100 and 200 meter sprints at the first Gay Games in 1982. He also played basketball in the 1986 Gay Games. His jersey number at Berkeley High School was retired to honor him. Burke played third base for Uncle Bert's Bombers in the SFGSL (San Francisco Gay Softball League) for many years.
In 1982, an article in Inside Sports magazine shared information about Burke's personal life. In 1987, he was hit by a car in San Francisco, which badly injured his leg and foot. After this accident, his life became very difficult. He faced financial problems and spent some time without a home in San Francisco. He spent his final months with his sister in Oakland. He passed away on May 30, 1995, at age 42. He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.
When news of his health struggles became public in 1994, the Oakland Athletics team helped him financially. In interviews he gave while he was ill, he did not seem to hold grudges. He only expressed one big regret: that he never got to pursue a second professional sports career in basketball.
In 1999, Major League Baseball player Bill Bean shared his own personal story. He was the second Major League player to do so. Unlike Burke, who was open with teammates while still playing, Bean shared his story four years after he retired in 1995, the same year Burke passed away.
On August 2, 2013, Glenn Burke was among the first group of people to be inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
In July 2014, Major League Baseball announced plans to honor Burke at the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This happened during a press conference on July 15, 2014. The Fox TV broadcast in the United States did not mention Burke.
On June 17, 2015, the Oakland Athletics honored Burke as part of their Pride Night. Burke's brother, Sydney, threw the ceremonial first pitch at the game. On June 4, 2021, the Athletics renamed their yearly Pride Night to "Glenn Burke Pride Night." The first one was held a week later on June 11.
Burke was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2015.
Further Information
- Out. The Glenn Burke Story. This is a 2010 documentary film. It was produced by Doug Harris and Sean Madison and is 1 hour long.
- Jennifer Frey, "A Boy of Summer's Long, Chilly Winter; Once a Promising Ballplayer, Glenn Burke Is Dying of AIDS", New York Times, October 18, 1994.
See also
In Spanish: Glenn Burke para niños
