Not long after Jason Collins came out as gay, the Boston Red Sox offered the former Boston Celtics center the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park.
So on Thursday night, "Pride Night" at the historic ballpark, the seven-footer, wearing a Red Sox jersey with the number 98 on the back, threw out the first pitch to Red Sox skipper John Farrell.
“This is an opportunity for us to, as an organization, we respect his courage," Farrell said before the game. "We respect his choices. This is an opportunity to showcase that. at the time when this was a possibility of coming out, we had said we were an organization that embraces all. I think this is a very small way of showing that.”
I pointed this out before, but I'll say it again…this is great progress for a team who is widely regarded as having been the last Major League team to have integrated. And, yes, I realize we'll just talking about a ceremonial first pitch, but, still…kudos.
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