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For a while Tuesday, Dale Scott was trending on Twitter, showing the power of the story of the first openly gay Major League Baseball umpire.
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The reactions to Scott's story, which included him having a husband, were overwhelmingly positive. Scott said his email box had overflowed and there was only one negative comment. And one former player told the New York Daily News that some "players have and will likely continue to snicker behind his back here and there" knowing he is gay.
That's their problem and those were the exceptions.
"To his friends and colleagues throughout the game, Dale is universally regarded as a class act," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "All of us at Major League Baseball are very proud of him, just as we have always been."
"He's an excellent crew chief and umpire," MLB umpire Dan Iassogna, who just finished his eighth season working with Scott, told the Associated Press. "But above all, he's been a true friend to my family and me. I've always been proud to walk with him, but never more proud than today."
One Outsports reader had a very thoughtful reaction:
"Extra kudos, too, to Mr. Scott for being a class act — for not making his personal life a distasteful public platform for a larger agenda. One wins the hearts and minds of better people by standing with authentic, understated integrity and dignity in one’s life and work, not by shouting out a sense of ‘special privilege’, and shoving it down people’s throats. In a civilized society, if a person truly accepts who one is, then so will many others who get to know you. As for the bigots, they seal their own fate and misery."
Here are some reactions on Twitter I found heartfelt and in some cases humorous:
@outsports @BMcCarthy32 @MLB @SBNation Dale Scott might be one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and was a HELL of an umpire.
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) December 2, 2014
Delighted for Dale Scott & hearing #MLB folks have been great to him; reconfirms that, yes, #MLB people are good eggs http://t.co/IzW1skHidn
— Christina Kahrl (@ChristinaKahrl) December 2, 2014
What's more shocking: #MLB umpire coming out as gay, or an ump trending on Twitter for something good? Go Dale Scott! http://t.co/dZc2HMnN2n
— Cyd Zeigler (@CydZeigler) December 2, 2014
Man, good for Dale Scott. A Ducks fan, native Oregonian, DJ and umpire too, even more awesome: http://t.co/eMMcqCidS3
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) December 2, 2014
Awesome for Dale Scott. And if anybody can handle unwarranted, unfounded and idiotic abuse from bigots, it's an MLB umpire.
— Words About Baseball (@WordsBaseball) December 2, 2014
Umpire Dale Scott has come out as gay. Wonderful story about a man with great perspective. http://t.co/WsygqhHn3f
— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) December 2, 2014
I guess Dale Scott threw himself out http://t.co/RzTVgcy1Qy
— Mattheim Sussroller (@suss2hyphens) December 2, 2014
I for one am disgusted by today's news that @MLB umpire Dale Scott has been a Ducks fan this entire time @outsports pic.twitter.com/G1H6qPKZXe
— Bob (@spektrall) December 2, 2014
Congratulations to MLB umpire Dale Scott for coming out as an Oregon Ducks fan. I mean, those uniforms are *so* ridiculously embarrassing.
— Aaron Schatz (@FO_ASchatz) December 2, 2014
Dale Scott, @MLB umpire, out at home and hits a home run. http://t.co/QZLYfSpaHG
— Matt (@LookingBackLost) December 2, 2014
Bravo to this guy. But I can't wait until "first openly gay..." is officially never needed again. http://t.co/Vb0RMEU2V3
— Kyle DeYoung (@KyleDeYoung) December 2, 2014
We can't have gay umpires in baseball! What next, players patting each other's butts on the field? http://t.co/iXcICwg30b
— Ben Babcock (@tachyondecay) December 2, 2014
@DodgersNation congrats on coming out best wishes to him and partner now get some glasses dale
— Jake Garber (@JgarberWDE) December 2, 2014
Yet another reason to love baseball. Dale Scott Comes Out as MLB's First Openly Gay Umpire http://t.co/bodIp9dLIc via @bleacherreport
— Ben Brown Jr (@BenBrownJunior) December 2, 2014
What a cool guy: "MLB umpire Dale Scott comes out as gay in quietest way possible" http://t.co/bYXOXwOlZk via @outsports
— Nick Scipio (@NickScipio) December 2, 2014
Kudos MLB umpire Dale Scott. One of the great umpires and now telling his courageous story.
— Rod Mar (@rodmarphoto) December 2, 2014
MLB umpire Dale Scott is the first active male official in all the pro sports to come out as gay. Good on you Dale. Another win for baseball
— John Rich (@_JohnRich) December 2, 2014
I have a ton of respect for Dale Scott now. That said, that dead-ball triple play he called is still one of the three worst calls ever.
— Joe Lies (@TheThinGwynn) December 2, 2014
