Monday, The Hall of Very Good™ added four more members when it announced its Class of 2016. Joining Bill Buckner, Jose Canseco, Ross Grimsley and celebrity inductee Thomas Ian Nicholas is this year’s Glenn Burke Memorial Courage Award recipient.
But, first…about Glenn Burke.
From 1976-1979, Burke played parts of four seasons in the Majors, splitting time between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s. But as impressive as his combination of power and speed was, it was his courage off the field that made headlines. In 1982, the former outfielder came out as homosexual, thus ending any real chance he had at possibility making any sort of comeback.
Burke was found to have AIDS in 1994. Less than a year later, he was dead.
The Glenn Burke Memorial Courage Award is an annual award presented to a person who has made a significant impact on the game of baseball or has overcome adversity to succeed on the field. And it’s with great honor and pleasure that The Hall of Very Good™ announces DAVID DENSON as the 2016 recipient of The Glenn Burke Memorial Courage Award.
“Congratulations to David Denson on his receiving the prestigious Glenn Burke Memorial Courage Award, the namesake for my friend, co-author, pioneer and courageous man on and off the baseball playing field,” Erik Sherman, co-author of Out At Home: The Glenn Burke Story said. “Wishing David continued success as he strives to become a big leaguer and a shining example of what Glenn laid the groundwork for all those years ago.”
In August 2015, while with the Milwaukee Brewers Rookie-level affiliate in Helena, Montana, Denson made baseball history when he revealed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal that he was gay.
“That was a giant relief for me. I never wanted to feel like I was forcing it on them. It just happened. The outcome was amazing,” Denson told the newspaper. “It was nice to know my teammates see me for who I am, not my sexuality.”
Ten months later, Denson would make history again when he became the first-ever gay All-Star in any major professional male team sport.
“David is one of the best people I have ever worked with in baseball,” Chris Mehring, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Director of Media Relations said. “I can think of no one more deserving of this award than him.”
We agree.
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The Hall of Very Good™ Class of 2016 is presented by Out of the Park Developments, the creators of the wildly popular baseball simulation game Out of the Park Baseball. Out of the Park Developments has made a generous donation to The Hall.
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