Curt Schilling (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)
With spring training just around the corner, it's time to pay attention to baseball and we have one current and two former Major League pitchers saying positive things about gays in the sport. One, former Red Sox ace Curt "Bloody Sock" Schilling, said he played with teammates he knew were gay. The other two are current pitcher Jered Weaver and his retired brother Jeff, both of whom would support a gay teammate.
Taking to Twitter, Schilling said:
“I’ve never understood this ‘issue’ with gay players? Who cares? I know I played with some, their sexual orientation never had much to … To do with how they hit with RISP, or pitched in late and close situations, why the hell would what they do in the bedroom ever matter?”
With spring training just around the corner, it’s time to pay attention to baseball and we have one current and two former Major League pitchers saying positive things about gays in the sport. One, former Red Sox ace Curt “Bloody Sock” Schilling, said he played with teammates he knew were gay. The other two are current pitcher Jered Weaver and his retired brother Jeff, both of whom would support a gay teammate.
Taking to Twitter, Schilling said:
“I’ve never understood this ‘issue’ with gay players? Who cares? I know I played with some, their sexual orientation never had much to … To do with how they hit with RISP, or pitched in late and close situations, why the hell would what they do in the bedroom ever matter?”
Later, when a follower brought up the issue of straight players showering with gay players, Schilling said: “Where the argument goes off the rails. So dumb to make this sort of comment, as if Gay men have any more or less restraint.”
The Weaver Brothers — Jeff is retired while Jered pitches for the Los Angeles Angels — were guests on a video podcast (it’s posted on Yahoo) hosted by former Major Leaguers Robert Fick and Dmitri Young. Fick began the question about gays in the sport by saying, “I don’t want a gay baseball player in my clubhouse. It would be uncomfortable for me.”
Banter ensued and the Weavers disagreed.
Jeff: “Just let ‘em be whatever they are. As long as they can hit or pitch, come on in.”
Jered: “If you’re hitting .300 with 40 and 140, bring ‘em on, you know? … I think it would just be a shock at first, but it’s still your teammate in the long run. … They worked just as hard as us to get up to where we’re at.”
Young said, “I personally have no problem with it,” then lamely added, “as long as he’s not trying to crack my back in the shower.” I don’t think he needs to worry about that. Fick then backed down, saying, “eventually I would get over it.”
The use of “they” to describe gay people is disconcerting but I did like that the Weavers challenged their host and got him to reconsider his views.
