Milwaukee Brewers David Denson First Active Gay Baseball Player
By David Hill
Words like ‘brave’ and ‘courageous’ are thrown around to the point where they lose their meaning. They have become buzzwords, used at any point in time when someone overcomes the slightest bit of adversity. It is a word that even gets thrown around in regards to animals, such as the horses in the Kentucky Derby. After all, running around on a track is truly a “courageous” exploit.
While this is a word that is used far too often for the most mundane of circumstances, there are times when it is certainly applicable. Jackie Robinson was certainly courageous when he broke the color barrier for the then Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Jason Collins was courageous in becoming the first openly gay athlete in any of the four major American sports. That same tag can be applied to Milwaukee Brewers farmhand David Denson, who made headlines as the first openly gay baseball player to come out during his career.
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He is not the first baseball player to come out as gay, but the others had done so after their career. Glenn Burke did not exactly keep his sexuality secret during his career in the late 1970’s, but had to deal with discrimination and was out of professional baseball by the age of 27. Another former major league player, Bill Bean, came out in 1999, four years after his career ended. Denton has become the first to do so while currently playing in the professional ranks on a major league affiliated team.
Denton, for his part, has received the support of his teammates and family. They have continued to support him, recognizing him as a baseball player, and not by his sexual orientation. Likewise, Denson has the support of the Milwaukee Brewers themselves, as he continues his minor league journey.
"“Talking with my teammates, they gave me the confidence I needed, coming out to them,” Denson said."
This announcement should not define who Denton is. He is also the Brewers 27th ranked prospect, a left handed first baseman with plenty of power potential. While he has been considered to have a few holes in his swing, resulting in a high strikeout rate, Denton is still considered someone with the potential to become an every day first baseman in the majors. While Denton’s .229/.313/.360 batting line with five home runs across two levels may not seem to be that of a legitimate prospect, he has also been carrying the weight of his situation and the internal struggle of whether or not he should come out.
Perhaps now that he has made his decision and is free to be himself, Denson can be the player that the Brewers expect him to be. If nothing else, Denson will have a lot less on his mind, both on and off the field.
David Denson of the Milwaukee Brewers has suddenly become a hero to gay baseball players everywhere. Even if his baseball career does not pan out, the Milwaukee Brewers first baseman has certainly made an impact upon the sport.