December 27, 2022 • 38 mins
The Book of Joe Podcast begins with hosts Tom Verducci and World Series Champion Joe Maddon welcoming MLB Executive Billy Bean to the show. Billy talks about playing baseball while feeling like he needed to hide being gay because he wanted people to see him only as a player. Billy has now turned his attention to having these important conversations with the league and teams about making the game more inclusive. Tom asks how close the game is to having an active player be comfortable enough to be openly gay while in the majors. We have 'A Reading from the Book of Joe' where Billy picks page 44 for today's lesson. Wrapping up, Joe and Tom give their best Christmas gifts they remember from their childhoods.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
The Book of Joe podcast is a production of My
Heart Radio. Hey, welcome back to another edition of the
Book of Joe Podcast with Me, Tom Berducci, and Joe Madden. Joe,
I am super excited about our guests today. Likewise, I
(00:24):
got to meet this young man Um. It was I
remember specifically Um working off the tea near the batting
cage in Edmonton for the Edmonton Trappers. I loved Edmonton,
by the way, but that's that's where I first got
to know Billy. We had a lot of good conversations.
I thought he's a really good player. I thought the
guy was the perfect third or fourth outfield on a
(00:44):
major league level hard player, and that's that's pretty much
how we all recognized and evaluated him. So it was
really short lived experience. He left the Angels very quickly
and moved on, but nevertheless we got to be kind
of friends just based on that. Gosh, maybe a couple
of days, maybe even five days of a robing um
situation through Edmonton. But it's great to see you tonight, buddy.
(01:06):
You know he's also helped you helped us in Hazelton
with Hazelton Integration Project. We could talk about that more
in a bit. But it's wonderful to see you again,
and thanks for coming on the show. I'm humbled to
be asked, Joe, it's I appreciate it. So just a
little context of that. I had been in Japan uh
that year it was actually uh ninety two, and I
got hurt and came back, and I was such an
(01:27):
insecure player that I thought I'd better steign on and
uh and keep playing or I was gonna get forgotten quickly.
And and uh, the Angels were kind enough to sign me,
but I had a busted up wrist that but after
that I got healed and I was able to play
three years with the Padres after that. But you, I
knew about you a lot longer than you knew about me,
(01:49):
so uh, and it was it was always, uh, you know,
living in parallel lanes, as many of us in baseball
do for a long time. I'm thrilled to be here
and and uh, I hope I get a chance to
tell everybody how crazy I'm about all the sane against
that took place all around the right. That's a good
(02:10):
word Shenanigans. Of course, we're talking with Billy being carved
out a six year major league career with the Tigers,
the Dodgers, the Padres. He's been with Major League Baseball
for the last eight years. Started out in teen as
Major League Baseball's first Ambassador for Inclusion, and he is
currently Senior vice President and Special Assistant to the Commissioner.
(02:34):
That looks really good on a business card, doesn't it, Billy, Yeah,
it's interesting, Tom. You know, we've crossed past a lot.
Have been very fortunate to be a guest on MLB
Network often with you and Brian Kenny and and uh
talking baseball and and and that show was really instrumental
and allowing me a minute to explain what the whole
(02:57):
reason for me coming back to baseball was, which was, Um,
for those who are your listeners who don't know my story, UM,
the reason I'm in the chair not only is it,
you know, because of my relationship with baseball, which it's
been good to all three of us, right, it's a
it's an amazing phenomenon what this game is capable of.
But for me, the irony of of me being a
(03:19):
part of baseball now is was I was asked back
because of the the off field struggles I had as
a player. Um, not so much as a player. I
brought those struggles onto the field. But what I was
struggling with was a secret that I uh never intended
to tell my family or my friends. Uh. I was
raised in a military household, the oldest of five boys,
(03:41):
and my dad was in the Marine corps. UM and
I was in the big leagues one um, and so
I was around sports my whole life. But the secret
that I was hiding was that I'm gay, and I
I was not really comfortable with that and and lived
in the space of all the stereotypes and what the
(04:01):
culture of baseball said about some one who was gay.
And you know, all I ever wanted to be was
Paul Molitor, George Brett. That was all I could ever
you know, dream of. Those guys were my heroes, and
I was lucky enough to play against them, um when
they were baseball's best players. And and uh And one
of the the hardest parts about my story, um, and
(04:25):
what inspires me to work hard and be a part
of baseball and try to make a contribution um bill
purposeful is that I didn't get baseball a chance to
you know, people like Joe, you know who he saw
the human side of every player, and if you read
his book and he talks about that. But I I
wanted people like Joe to see me as a center
(04:48):
fielder and and I was afraid that if it was
anything other than that, that I would be, you know,
asked to leave quietly and quickly. And so I left
baseball as a young player. I had my partner died
of HIV while I was an active member of the
Sandy Padres, and I had never introduced that person to
(05:08):
any teammate. My roommate was Brad Osmas. For the two
and a half years I was on the team and
never introduced into my family or my friends. And it
was before the internet and you know, all those things
that we remember, and so it felt like a pretty
lonely place that I carved out for myself. And you know,
(05:29):
I I, instead of looking for help and believing that
I belonged in the big leagues or deserved the chance
to keep fighting to stay in the big leagues, UM,
I just quit. I quit on myself. And um you know,
it's it's something that is really hard to explain to
anyone who has never played, but to see, you know,
(05:52):
the amazing nature of our sport and the amazing opportunities
the cathedral stadiums we build, the platforms that are created
by being able to play basic ball. UH, you will
you never you always miss it and and so UM
I sat on the sidelines for a long time, almost
(06:14):
twelve years, and never thought baseball would ever ask me
to be a part of this sport again. And by
the great irony of my life, the work that I
had started to do away from baseball when I just
stopped lying about my truth and meeting people that were
brave battlers for civil rights and the right to fight
(06:36):
in the armed forces and be themselves or or you know,
married the person that they want to spend their life with. UM,
people that were much more focused on other people than
just their own baseball career, and they're they're worried about
being judged by others. Um. That's when baseball came calling.
And so I was able to begin conversations one at
(07:01):
a time with Big League h of houses because of
people like Joe inviting me to come talk to their
players and just make the consideration for uh, moving that
culture in a positive direction where we're more accepting, more
understanding that there are people less privileged than we are,
and and that soon we'll be working alongside people from
(07:23):
every and it's working. It We still have a long
way to go, but it's it's been working, yea, Billy.
You play such an important role for baseball and I
think society in general, and I've always believed that our
society and the game specifically is much better with the
most possible diversity that we can have, diversity of thought,
(07:43):
diversity of playing styles, diversity of backgrounds, um and what
you are doing is allowing now those conversations to take place.
And let's face it, a a arena where it wasn't
always welcome. You know that better than anybody. And one
of the reasons we asked you here now is once
again that it's in the news and baseball really wrapping
(08:06):
their arms. And I'm really curious to see how you
respond to this. With t J. House coming out, a
pitcher who pitched for both Cleveland and Toronto from seventeen now,
he is only the third player major League player to
come out as gay, and you, Billy, were the second.
(08:27):
And I believe that was nineteen after your career was
over when you came out. The twenty three years have
passed and t J wrote just a lovely open letter
explaining why he was doing this, and congratulations to him,
by the way, on his engagement. And I'm just curious
when you read that open letter, I'm guessing you saw
(08:49):
a lot of yourself and that Billy. Yeah, I I
I think the I'm pretty good at at conversations most times.
But the one question I could never answer is why
hadn't it happened since I did? I am out almost
three years after my last game, um, with no intention
of and and and t J you can tell is
(09:11):
in the same spirit and and that he's not looking
to exploit that that announcement um and neither was I. I
I never thought I would. I thought I would never
ever tell my even my own parents, UM and and
and it. It just goes to show you that you
don't make it to the big leagues unless you're a
(09:31):
baseball player, regardless of your sexual orientation. And and it
and it it's hard when people you know assume that
it would be otherwise, or the same way that a
man be able to control himself working near a woman,
or a woman is only working in corporate America to
find a man. You know, these types of old stereotypes,
(09:55):
but a nice story that t J. T J wrote
me a letter UH an email the day before his
announcement came out, and he said that I spoke to
the Cleveland Guardians and Indians at that time, UH in
two thousand and fifteen, and he was in the clubhouse
(10:16):
Terry Francona and Chris ANTONEI had asked me to come
speak to their major league club. And that was in
the first you know, I didn't have visuals in those days.
I was I was bringing my own message. And and
you know, I know that as a former player, you
know you've got five ten minutes max uh in those situations.
(10:37):
But it turned out to be a really uh compelling conversation.
And and t J said, the one regret he has
in his baseball career is that he didn't reach out
to me afterwards. UM that he was still struggling. He
was very young at the time. UM. And here we
are living in you know, parallel universes all this time,
(10:59):
and and um and and I understood that, but it
was he said that he appreciated he felt like I
was talking directly to him at the time. And I
had no idea that there was another person living with
that same experience that I had lived through. So a
lot of the the work when you're talking about inclusion
(11:22):
and acceptance and and trying, as you know, for me,
has always been trying to find that common ground for
people that think like why why do I have to
be talking about women in the workplace or LGBTQ community,
or are you know, not bullying a clubhouse kid or
treating fans with respect and and you know, always always
(11:47):
feeling that sense of privilege that comes with this amazing
life that baseball can provide you. Um, you don't always
get that that response or thank you, but you just
have to uh move forward with the thought that somewhere, somewhere, somehow,
some one's hearing and you are making an impact. And
that was that was nice to hear from him in
(12:09):
that way. Just quickly too, I'm because I've had I
mentioned early on Billy came to my hometown in Hazelton.
We have the Hazelton Integration Project. We had a tremendous
influx of Latino community into Hazelton, primarily Dominican, and there
was a tremendous disconnect. I come from that city Anglo
um by an Anglo city, primarily European and U. When
(12:32):
the when the Latinos started coming, my brothers and sisters,
they it really created this uh disconnect among the people
that had been there and the ones that were there now.
So we created the Hazel's Integration Project to try to
bring these groups together. We used to have banquets and
one of the first people I wanted to have at
one of these banquets was Billy to address the groups
(12:52):
specifically about the diversity and acceptance and the inclusion and
and it it crosses so many different lines like he's
describing right now. Uh, the fact that people in our
hometown would just not accept these people that were there
to actually save our city, I felt. And it was
so similar to what had happened seven years ago my
(13:12):
my grandparents had come. Eight ninety years ago, my grandparents
had come to the city. So anyway, we Billy came
to town. He did a wonderful job speaking to that
group and it made a tremendous impact on our town.
And with all that, how often did you get to
deliver your message, Billy? I mean, what is the and
how what's the method to get you to show up?
How does somebody how does somebody get the Billy to
(13:33):
say listen, we need we need to hear his message.
And then how do we get him to show up? Well,
first of all, when someone like Joe Madden asked you
to come, you say yes. And that one I also,
I love the Hazelton Project. I speak Spanish. I'm down
in the Dominican often a very Hispanic environment in sant Ana, California. Um,
(13:54):
I was, you know, been not been a part of
my life always and so you know, you know, Joe,
that platform that you have and influence you you have,
You've been such a strong educator and these are these
are great examples for you know. I tried to inspire
the players in that way, but to get Billy Bean
the first eight years, I didn't say no to anything.
(14:17):
And I think that it was on an airplane. Um.
And really it's interesting because the when Dan halom Um
was really one of the you know, the integral figures
and me coming on board. He's a deputy commissioner. Now, Um,
there was no definition for my job. I thought. When
(14:39):
Baseball called me, I got a cryptic voicemail from a
guy named Paul Misson, who still works here and is
a great champion for inclusion and social responsibility. Um. They
said that this message uh was twelve years late and
and uh and I thought a player might be coming
(14:59):
out and that they wanted to talk to me about
and and they to me to come to New York.
And so I come, and I'm sitting in a room
with Pat Courtney, Dan Halem, uh, Peter wood Fork and
Steve Venzalis, Paul all these people are still here. UM.
And they had no idea what they what what I
(15:20):
was gonna be when I walked in the room, or
what my message was gonna be. And they started asking
a couple of questions and and by the end of
that conversation, UM, they you know, they walked me around
and at the time I was the only other former
player besides Joe Tory in the whole building, which is
hard to imagine now we really moved in. Uh. You know.
(15:41):
MLB Networks helped a lot with that. But UM, I
go home. A couple of days later, they asked me
if I'll consider coming to work for baseball and what
changed it and what made I think the reason baseball
was ready regardless of me being in the chair not
was Dan Halem sent me to the GM meetings in
(16:02):
Arizona in two thous in fourteen, Um, and I got
the last ten minutes of the three days that they
were there, and and um, and I just started to
share my story and and I had really challenged baseball
too to live up to being the sport of Jackie
Robinson and quit just saying that, Um, and let's talk
(16:25):
about inclusion and make these players, you know, see the opportunity.
And they all are ambassadors in one way or another.
And and and after I got done, half the room
uh walked up to me, people like Sandy Alderson and um,
you know, Sam Kennedy and and it was it was
(16:47):
just it was just something else, man, Uh, you know.
And they asked me to come to spring training. Uh.
And so that first couple of years, I just I
just kept saying yes. And it was really from relationships
Joe and Tom, from that I had as a player.
In two thousand and fourteen, I had played with or
against seven of the thirty active managers, and I was
(17:12):
afraid they would only see me as a gay man
and not remember me as a former player or colleague
or Pierre. You know, we the brotherhood is pretty strong,
you guys know that. Um, it's hard to get to
the big leagues, it's hard to stay in the big leagues.
And there's a level of respect and appreciation for for
(17:33):
every player that you know, it was able to reach
that destination and and and so it was all credit
to you know, strong leadership. Um. You know, Brad Osmus
was a manager of the Detroit Tigers. He asked me
to come speak to his and you know, Alan Trammell
was a coach. Uh, you know, I mean players that
(17:54):
I played with. It, I was just I felt like
I was going to throw up the first couple of times.
It was pretty very well. Billy, you've already made a
huge impact on the game. We're gonna take a quick break,
and when we do come back, I want to ask
you about where we go from here. We'll be right
back with the Book of Joe. Welcome back to the
(18:23):
Book of Joe podcast. Our guest is Bill Bean, Major
League Baseball Senior Vice President and Special Assistant to the Commissioner.
Began in the Commissioner's office as its first ambassador for
inclusion in the game, and Billy, you literally have brought
conversations into the clubhouse that did not take place. Uh, no,
one would dare speak some of the things that now
(18:45):
we speak openly about. That's progress at least. The next
question is has there been enough progress so that a player,
It's like a T. J. House who listened to your
presentation as a member with Cleveland as an active player,
would come out and say, yes, I am a gay man,
I am an active made your league player. Are we
close to that? Is that important? Even? I? I think
(19:08):
we we've come so far and we are close. Tom
When I was a player, I was lucky enough to
play for Sparky Anderson. I played for Tommy Lossorda. Um,
you've guys have both we been around the game a
long long time. And you know the way managers used
to talk, the way the media would chuckle, the way
we would sexualized women or or you know stereotype you
(19:32):
know gays. Um, the culture, the the the level of professionalism,
UM from management from the top down. UM. I couldn't
be more uh proud of the way the managers have
realized that you know, it starts with them, with that leadership.
(19:55):
And it doesn't mean you can't be fiery and you
can't be aggressive and you want to go to battle
every night. Um. But you know how we talk about people,
how we talk about other players, that's the start, because
I mean, every single day that I played, you know,
half the time I was afraid to get and sent
to Triple A. And the other time I just thought
nobody could ever find out who I am or there
(20:16):
you know, And and you can't play in the big
leagues with you know, half of your mind worried about
keeping a secret. And you know that that part it
was tough. There was no messaging, there was no education,
there was no consistency. There were very few women, there
were very few people of color that were working in
(20:36):
and around baseball. There was you know, we had um.
You know, the field has always been the most diverse environment,
you know. And you know, ever since Jackie Robinson, you know,
every team has looked for the best player, regardless of
the package that they come in. But the assumption that
a player could never be gay, Um, that just lived
(20:59):
and breathed everywhere we you know. And and so I
think because of the the visibility of the sport, the accessibility,
the you know, for whatever reason, the way we talk,
that's a start. Um. The you know, the more stakeholders
we have that represent all of these different identities. That
(21:20):
helps socialize it with the players. UM. I've spoken in
the Dominican and you know, culturally there's all kinds of differences. Um.
You know, I was given a presentation in Spanish and
a young players stood up one time and he he said,
it's not possible that you're gay because you you played
in the major leagues, and he was. He couldn't have
(21:42):
been seventeen years old. He was playing in an academy
and he was. He was dead serious, you know. He
just like, culturally it was not it didn't seem possible
to him. Nor maybe that a woman could be the
general manager of a major League baseball team like Kim Angers,
you know. And so that's the challenge. We have to
continue to uh provide examples, um that players can relate to,
(22:09):
because they are our greatest messengers. There's a lot to
consider by coming out and inviting that type of intimacy
and to the public into your life. It's hard enough
right now, and it's never been harder to play in
the big leagues, and careers will be for some that
will be forever long and for and for the majority,
(22:30):
they're going to get shorter and shorter, and and and
so there's a lot of things to consider and I
want I want every player to understand that, and I
have since the very first day. I don't care what
your sexual orientation is. I want you to understand what
baseball UH feels about acceptance and inclusion and that everyone
(22:52):
should feel welcome in every room. And then and if
we're not doing that, I want to hear about it.
Need to work hard to try to make UM those
differences I'll share with you. You know, one of my
big initiatives was as an event we do every year
called Spirit Day. And when Joe was, you know, defending
world champion manager of the Chicago Cubs, I walked out
(23:16):
onto the field. He gave me a big hug and
I handed him a Spirit Day shirt, which is a
day that's that's signifies UM shining a light on on
the bullying against l g B, t QUTH or like
five times you know, more likely to be bullied or
five times more likely to take their lives. And it
(23:36):
was a you know, it was a progressive message. And
he threw that shirt on like it was nothing, and
you know he understood that for many you know, if
I'm talking to l G B, t Q people. They're
gonna listen to me. But the amount of people that
would listen or or make a consideration for that message
because Joe was wearing that shirt, That's that's how baseball
(23:59):
continues to move forward when we can get buy in
from the people that are the most influential. And that's
the moment I'll never forget. Thank you Listen. We've talked
about this to Billy. I mean utilizing technology to spread
the word. Also, I've been trying to get us, you
and I together to do different zooms. Um I should
do those skyping kind of with classes journalism classes. Baseball
(24:23):
teams have done Princeton at the University of Texas Baseball team. UM,
are you guys considering it all? How do utilize technology,
even like with a podcast like this, to really, um
get your message out there. That's the only way that
it's really going to hit home. And people are gonna
listen and and and possibly make some changes and the
way they look at themselves and the way they look
(24:44):
at life. But they have to hear you. They have
to hear you. So if you guys consider that at all, well,
I think more more so there's so many different platforms.
I think TikTok has is an environment where we might
be able to forge into shorter but really really effective
messages to youth. And you know, this is the kind
(25:05):
of thing that I'm I oversee the d e f
I Committee for our MLB owners and trying to bring
progressive ideas that not only help grow the sport, and
and if we can get like you're saying, Joe, if
we can get ten players to want to talk about
you know, CSR issues UM and you know, for some
owners that feels a little scary, and then for some
(25:28):
others they're like, I'm all in. And so you know,
the the great challenges, you know, if that is something
that needs to be monetized, and with the union and
and UH and agents and you know, I try to
go directly to the players and and for those you know,
I started a program called shred Hate, which was bowling
(25:49):
prevention education program, and we got Mike Trout, Mookie Betts,
Aaron Judge, Nolan Arronado, Justin Verlander, Hobby Bias, Francisco Lindor
and they I was so proud Um that they were
willing to say, you know, let a kids feel like
(26:10):
along whether they can hit a baseball or throw a baseball,
but you know they have such electric influence and that
that I've shared that idea, I've shared your name in
the in those meetings that talking about ways that we
can UM be more impactful and and and stay engaged UH.
(26:31):
And I really feel positive that we're going to make
some space there in the next year or so. I'd
love to see that. I mean, again, your message needs
to be heard. And I've told you this before. I'm
pounding on this subject basically because one of the first
zooms or skypes I ever did Sottle, eighth grader asked
me at the end of the the skype session. Whose
journalism or journalism class says? What is what is Major
(26:54):
League Baseball doing regarding utilizing technology to help um uh
create more interest in the game with us as as
eighth graders. It's an eighth Wade kid asking me this
particular question. So from that one question and this is
like two right, and this is about probably twenty twelve
or eleven that I was asked that question, and I
(27:17):
believe it's fertile. I believe there's a lot of positive
benefits that can occur with this and then furthermore, you
talked about all these good players and I think that's great.
I think they we could get them to do it
during the season also would be very very nice. And
when we're on the road, you know what it's like
being on the road during a hotel. What else you
got to do at ten o'clock in the morning, right
you could? You could connect with the classrooms all over
the United States, all over the world, um, and having
(27:40):
you as a moderator I think would be in a
perfect method or way of of getting the point across. Anyway.
I'm just I wanted to get this out here today
because it's something I've been pounded on. Is you know
for years. I think there's a lot being left on
the bone right now that needs to be um attack
more diligently. Everybody talks stuff, everybody talks good stuff, but
at some point you have to eventually get out there
(28:01):
and actually do stuff. And you are the perfect guide
to spirit all of this. And I think the players,
um being properly educated, what you would do to be great? Uh,
make significance rides regarding everything you've been talking about today
and making an impact on potential future baseball. Either players
are just fans right, Well, why don't we make a
(28:24):
deal with each other. If you have me on here
at this time, you hold me to task and I'll
bring some results in that space. So I am. I'm
dedicated to it. I feel like you know, the how
we presented uh uh and when you when they are
able to see the impact UM and and with all
the all the things that are coming with what it
(28:45):
means to be a superstar player in the big leagues.
Right now, it feels like an easy ask. We just
gotta make it easy for him that that's that's the
challenge there. We handle a lot of that UM infrastructure
here at the officer, the commissioner. And one of the
things I think that Commissioner Manford has done really well
since we got the the c b A behind us.
(29:08):
This past April, UM was go and meet players. He
visited all thirty clubs and for you know, the whole
time prior to that, he had been had some distance
and I think there was a you know, a little miscommunication.
Maybe that's an understatement, but the idea that they could
(29:29):
see that you know, he wants UM to do what's
best for the game. We all want to grow the game.
We all want to stay engaged. We all understand the
tension span is constantly evolving and and um and there
we've got to put our minds together. And uh, I
just think that you touched on gold when you know
the idea you've always been somebody that looks into the crowd,
(29:53):
you see a face, you lock eyes, and that person
remembers that moment forever and and you know, you can
make a fan for life. I think we all remember,
you know, one of those first or second you know
times said you know, we had that interface with a
big league player, um and and how magical it seemed.
And I don't want them to ever forget or take
(30:15):
that part for granted. Yeah, I'll just say one more time.
I'm just like saying, ten o'clock in a hotel room
on the road is not that difficult, right. I really wish,
I really wish that more guys would sign up for
something like that, because I like, you're just saying eyeball
to eyeball, contact answering questions, your your idolis stand is
on the other end of the screen. Uh, TikTok whatever.
(30:36):
I I'm just saying that could be very impactful and
on so many different levels. No, you're absolutely right, and
especially when it comes to relating those personal stories, and
Billy is a great example of that. The impact of
telling his story personalizing large issues goes a long way.
But Billy, before you get out of here, got one
more job for you, and I promise you it's going
(30:57):
to be easy. This is a segment we call a
reading from the Book of Joe. In our book, there's
just so I think it's just packed with so many
good life lessons and stories and and leadership lessons. You
can literally turn to any page and find something of interest.
So that we ask our guests to pick a number
between one and three hundred sixty eight and we'll see
(31:22):
what the Book of Joe gives us. Okay, so you're
up at beat, Billy Beane, pick a number. Alright. So
I'm gonna trust my gut, which is tapping into the
accumulated life experiences when we're in the dugout, and I'm
gonna pick page forty four. Page forty four is there?
(31:43):
I couldn't follow your logic. There is there a reason
you picked forty four. I was just Hank Karen came
to mind Okay, thank god Rizzo didn't have forty four
rizzles dropped the forty eight. Honest a couple of days ago. Well,
you're you'll appreciate this, billy, because it goes back to
Joe Madden starting out as a scout for the Angels.
(32:03):
Love It, Love It, Love It, Love It. His first
day as a professional scout, with a hundred dollars and
no credit card to his name, he wound up at
a dog track in Tucson. In the gray haze of
his cigarette smoke. Luke cohen Our studied the racing form
like a seminary in combing through scripture. This was the
guy who was mentoring Joe. By the way, clearly this
(32:26):
was not lose first night. Madden was thoroughly impressed by
the knowing figure he cut. I'm thinking, okay, maybe I
can make a couple of bucks out of this, Maddon says.
I just followed, Lou, I can possibly double my money.
And what happened? He lost whatever I bet I lost.
It was maybe bucks, which might as well have been
(32:47):
ten thousand at that point. Then Lou looks at me,
puffing on a heater, pulling on it deeply smoke all
around him, and he gives me that smokers squint and
says in that cornerhowerd giggle. Get him next time, kid,
bad night, Luke, bad night. I was counting on him too, Man,
bad night. Um Man, I don't know. There's many places
(33:10):
hotter than Tucson in the middle of the summer thing, right,
Oh my god, no doubt. Well. I I loved your book, Joe,
and I've just been a privilege to you know, stay
connected to you over the years, and and uh, this
is so is a treat. I love your Guys show.
And if I can never be of assistance YouTube, Tom,
you do great work. And you know, Tom, you did
(33:32):
a great story. Uh, you know, trying to you know,
learn more about mental health and wellness platforms at baseball,
and we're we've worked hard in that space. And appreciate
your fairness and your and your efforts to well, thank
you so much for everything you do, Billy. I just know,
all the years I've been in the game, there has
definitely been so much progress, especially in the last decade
(33:54):
or so, by the game becoming not just more inclusive
and diverse, which is great, but even more respectful. And
you know that's a word sometimes that almost people almost
looked down upon that. In the world of baseball is
pecking order. That was there, and I see it's a
It's a much better environment to enjoy and to play in.
So thank you, you got it, You got it. I
(34:16):
hope you guys both have a great holiday and Joe
will be in touch. All right, Buddy, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays,
and best to your family too. But I appreciate thanks,
Thanks again, appreciate it. Take care boy. That was that
was a treat Joe to listen to Billy Bean. He's
already made an impact and will continue to do so
on this game. Yeah. I mean just by listening to him,
if you're hearing for the first time, you can see
(34:37):
why he's the right person for this job. Um. Like
I said, we we talked about it briefly during the podcast.
Just an easy guy to like. And I just when
I first met him, he said ninety two. I thought
it might have been ninety three. But um, just a
good baseball player, a good fellow. And then he comes
to Hazelton and made a huge impact on my hometown
by by through his words, UM for the Hazelton Integration
(35:01):
Project hip back there, which we have so many issues
back there. A lot of it pertains to bullying and
and diversity and the fact that groups don't want to
accept one another. So anyway, he came into a wonderful
job and I thought he was outstanding and people just
need to hear more often. Yeah, it's an important message,
and I think even even more so it's important at
this time of year. I mean, folks, is as simple
(35:23):
as just being kind to one another, right, treat people
like family, and you really can't go wrong. And we
want to wish our listeners as well. Joe, of course,
the best of all holidays. I don't know about you.
Usually for me, I think about Christmas. You think about
being a kid, right and having that Christmas spirit. If
you have it as an adult, you've won people. Um.
(35:43):
So it got me thinking about Christmas gifts, Joe, did
you ever have a Christmas gift as a kid that,
even to this day you're like, Wow, I can't believe
I got that was the best gift. It was woke up.
We lived in a small apartment and I just peered
out the the doorway into the hallway and sent it
had already been there, and left the flexible flyer sleds
(36:06):
with the chrome bumper standing against the wall right there. Um.
I could not wait to get that stucker out the
next day on the hill and that was it. It's
a flexible flyer sled with the chrome bumper on the front.
You has to have the chrome bumper really be cool.
And their their logo in the center of that thing
was outstanding. I broken a couple of times. My dad
fixed it, but it was the flexible flyer. I might
(36:28):
have been nine or ten years old, something like that,
so it's like right around nine. That was absolutely an
indelible Christmas present. Pretty cool as long as you didn't
break your collar bone. I think you're good with breaking
the sled. I did that when I was a kid,
for me, for me, I, me and my brothers, we
were always playing, competing you name, we competed at it.
(36:49):
One year, I got one of those table top hockey games,
the rods, not the one the big ones that they
have in a game room with a dome on top,
the old school rod hockey, and we took the the
hockey puck that came with it, took that out and
we got this ball bearing type thing that was from
the game Carum and we used that as the puck,
so it was like at warp speed playing rod hockey
(37:11):
and we just would beat each other up. I love
that stuff. I know the game. I love the game.
Those things you just can't forget. So all the best
of all of our listeners throughout the holidays and the
New year, and um, hey, why don't we leave them
with a message, Joe, what do you got? Yeah, I
was just I was going through some stuff today and
this comes from Drake, and I thought it was really
(37:32):
pertinent based on our show today, what's going on right now,
the holiday season, plus in the world in general. And
I thought this was really pertinent life. Excuse me, live
without pretending, love without depending, Listen without defending, and speak
without offending. Um. Really really simple message. A lot of
(37:55):
withouts in there, without pretending, without depending, without defending, and
without offending. I thought, pretty simple and good way to
go about creating relationships with others. I thought it was outstanding,
terrific message. Thanks so much, Joe, and we'll catch it
next time, okay, brother, thank you very much. The Book
(38:19):
of Joe podcast is a production of I Heart Radio.
For more podcasts for my Heart Radio, visit the I
Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Book of Joe podcast is a production of My
Heart Radio. Hey, welcome back to another edition of the
Book of Joe Podcast with Me, Tom Berducci, and Joe Madden. Joe,
I am super excited about our guests today. Likewise, I
(00:24):
got to meet this young man Um. It was I
remember specifically Um working off the tea near the batting
cage in Edmonton for the Edmonton Trappers. I loved Edmonton,
by the way, but that's that's where I first got
to know Billy. We had a lot of good conversations.
I thought he's a really good player. I thought the
guy was the perfect third or fourth outfield on a
(00:44):
major league level hard player, and that's that's pretty much
how we all recognized and evaluated him. So it was
really short lived experience. He left the Angels very quickly
and moved on, but nevertheless we got to be kind
of friends just based on that. Gosh, maybe a couple
of days, maybe even five days of a robing um
situation through Edmonton. But it's great to see you tonight, buddy.
(01:06):
You know he's also helped you helped us in Hazelton
with Hazelton Integration Project. We could talk about that more
in a bit. But it's wonderful to see you again,
and thanks for coming on the show. I'm humbled to
be asked, Joe, it's I appreciate it. So just a
little context of that. I had been in Japan uh
that year it was actually uh ninety two, and I
got hurt and came back, and I was such an
(01:27):
insecure player that I thought I'd better steign on and
uh and keep playing or I was gonna get forgotten quickly.
And and uh, the Angels were kind enough to sign me,
but I had a busted up wrist that but after
that I got healed and I was able to play
three years with the Padres after that. But you, I
knew about you a lot longer than you knew about me,
(01:49):
so uh, and it was it was always, uh, you know,
living in parallel lanes, as many of us in baseball
do for a long time. I'm thrilled to be here
and and uh, I hope I get a chance to
tell everybody how crazy I'm about all the sane against
that took place all around the right. That's a good
(02:10):
word Shenanigans. Of course, we're talking with Billy being carved
out a six year major league career with the Tigers,
the Dodgers, the Padres. He's been with Major League Baseball
for the last eight years. Started out in teen as
Major League Baseball's first Ambassador for Inclusion, and he is
currently Senior vice President and Special Assistant to the Commissioner.
(02:34):
That looks really good on a business card, doesn't it, Billy, Yeah,
it's interesting, Tom. You know, we've crossed past a lot.
Have been very fortunate to be a guest on MLB
Network often with you and Brian Kenny and and uh
talking baseball and and and that show was really instrumental
and allowing me a minute to explain what the whole
(02:57):
reason for me coming back to baseball was, which was, Um,
for those who are your listeners who don't know my story, UM,
the reason I'm in the chair not only is it,
you know, because of my relationship with baseball, which it's
been good to all three of us, right, it's a
it's an amazing phenomenon what this game is capable of.
But for me, the irony of of me being a
(03:19):
part of baseball now is was I was asked back
because of the the off field struggles I had as
a player. Um, not so much as a player. I
brought those struggles onto the field. But what I was
struggling with was a secret that I uh never intended
to tell my family or my friends. Uh. I was
raised in a military household, the oldest of five boys,
(03:41):
and my dad was in the Marine corps. UM and
I was in the big leagues one um, and so
I was around sports my whole life. But the secret
that I was hiding was that I'm gay, and I
I was not really comfortable with that and and lived
in the space of all the stereotypes and what the
(04:01):
culture of baseball said about some one who was gay.
And you know, all I ever wanted to be was
Paul Molitor, George Brett. That was all I could ever
you know, dream of. Those guys were my heroes, and
I was lucky enough to play against them, um when
they were baseball's best players. And and uh And one
of the the hardest parts about my story, um, and
(04:25):
what inspires me to work hard and be a part
of baseball and try to make a contribution um bill
purposeful is that I didn't get baseball a chance to
you know, people like Joe, you know who he saw
the human side of every player, and if you read
his book and he talks about that. But I I
wanted people like Joe to see me as a center
(04:48):
fielder and and I was afraid that if it was
anything other than that, that I would be, you know,
asked to leave quietly and quickly. And so I left
baseball as a young player. I had my partner died
of HIV while I was an active member of the
Sandy Padres, and I had never introduced that person to
(05:08):
any teammate. My roommate was Brad Osmas. For the two
and a half years I was on the team and
never introduced into my family or my friends. And it
was before the internet and you know, all those things
that we remember, and so it felt like a pretty
lonely place that I carved out for myself. And you know,
(05:29):
I I, instead of looking for help and believing that
I belonged in the big leagues or deserved the chance
to keep fighting to stay in the big leagues, UM,
I just quit. I quit on myself. And um you know,
it's it's something that is really hard to explain to
anyone who has never played, but to see, you know,
(05:52):
the amazing nature of our sport and the amazing opportunities
the cathedral stadiums we build, the platforms that are created
by being able to play basic ball. UH, you will
you never you always miss it and and so UM
I sat on the sidelines for a long time, almost
(06:14):
twelve years, and never thought baseball would ever ask me
to be a part of this sport again. And by
the great irony of my life, the work that I
had started to do away from baseball when I just
stopped lying about my truth and meeting people that were
brave battlers for civil rights and the right to fight
(06:36):
in the armed forces and be themselves or or you know,
married the person that they want to spend their life with. UM,
people that were much more focused on other people than
just their own baseball career, and they're they're worried about
being judged by others. Um. That's when baseball came calling.
And so I was able to begin conversations one at
(07:01):
a time with Big League h of houses because of
people like Joe inviting me to come talk to their
players and just make the consideration for uh, moving that
culture in a positive direction where we're more accepting, more
understanding that there are people less privileged than we are,
and and that soon we'll be working alongside people from
(07:23):
every and it's working. It We still have a long
way to go, but it's it's been working, yea, Billy.
You play such an important role for baseball and I
think society in general, and I've always believed that our
society and the game specifically is much better with the
most possible diversity that we can have, diversity of thought,
(07:43):
diversity of playing styles, diversity of backgrounds, um and what
you are doing is allowing now those conversations to take place.
And let's face it, a a arena where it wasn't
always welcome. You know that better than anybody. And one
of the reasons we asked you here now is once
again that it's in the news and baseball really wrapping
(08:06):
their arms. And I'm really curious to see how you
respond to this. With t J. House coming out, a
pitcher who pitched for both Cleveland and Toronto from seventeen now,
he is only the third player major League player to
come out as gay, and you, Billy, were the second.
(08:27):
And I believe that was nineteen after your career was
over when you came out. The twenty three years have
passed and t J wrote just a lovely open letter
explaining why he was doing this, and congratulations to him,
by the way, on his engagement. And I'm just curious
when you read that open letter, I'm guessing you saw
(08:49):
a lot of yourself and that Billy. Yeah, I I
I think the I'm pretty good at at conversations most times.
But the one question I could never answer is why
hadn't it happened since I did? I am out almost
three years after my last game, um, with no intention
of and and and t J you can tell is
(09:11):
in the same spirit and and that he's not looking
to exploit that that announcement um and neither was I. I
I never thought I would. I thought I would never
ever tell my even my own parents, UM and and
and it. It just goes to show you that you
don't make it to the big leagues unless you're a
(09:31):
baseball player, regardless of your sexual orientation. And and it
and it it's hard when people you know assume that
it would be otherwise, or the same way that a
man be able to control himself working near a woman,
or a woman is only working in corporate America to
find a man. You know, these types of old stereotypes,
(09:55):
but a nice story that t J. T J wrote
me a letter UH an email the day before his
announcement came out, and he said that I spoke to
the Cleveland Guardians and Indians at that time, UH in
two thousand and fifteen, and he was in the clubhouse
(10:16):
Terry Francona and Chris ANTONEI had asked me to come
speak to their major league club. And that was in
the first you know, I didn't have visuals in those days.
I was I was bringing my own message. And and
you know, I know that as a former player, you
know you've got five ten minutes max uh in those situations.
(10:37):
But it turned out to be a really uh compelling conversation.
And and t J said, the one regret he has
in his baseball career is that he didn't reach out
to me afterwards. UM that he was still struggling. He
was very young at the time. UM. And here we
are living in you know, parallel universes all this time,
(10:59):
and and um and and I understood that, but it
was he said that he appreciated he felt like I
was talking directly to him at the time. And I
had no idea that there was another person living with
that same experience that I had lived through. So a
lot of the the work when you're talking about inclusion
(11:22):
and acceptance and and trying, as you know, for me,
has always been trying to find that common ground for
people that think like why why do I have to
be talking about women in the workplace or LGBTQ community,
or are you know, not bullying a clubhouse kid or
treating fans with respect and and you know, always always
(11:47):
feeling that sense of privilege that comes with this amazing
life that baseball can provide you. Um, you don't always
get that that response or thank you, but you just
have to uh move forward with the thought that somewhere, somewhere, somehow,
some one's hearing and you are making an impact. And
that was that was nice to hear from him in
(12:09):
that way. Just quickly too, I'm because I've had I
mentioned early on Billy came to my hometown in Hazelton.
We have the Hazelton Integration Project. We had a tremendous
influx of Latino community into Hazelton, primarily Dominican, and there
was a tremendous disconnect. I come from that city Anglo
um by an Anglo city, primarily European and U. When
(12:32):
the when the Latinos started coming, my brothers and sisters,
they it really created this uh disconnect among the people
that had been there and the ones that were there now.
So we created the Hazel's Integration Project to try to
bring these groups together. We used to have banquets and
one of the first people I wanted to have at
one of these banquets was Billy to address the groups
(12:52):
specifically about the diversity and acceptance and the inclusion and
and it it crosses so many different lines like he's
describing right now. Uh, the fact that people in our
hometown would just not accept these people that were there
to actually save our city, I felt. And it was
so similar to what had happened seven years ago my
(13:12):
my grandparents had come. Eight ninety years ago, my grandparents
had come to the city. So anyway, we Billy came
to town. He did a wonderful job speaking to that
group and it made a tremendous impact on our town.
And with all that, how often did you get to
deliver your message, Billy? I mean, what is the and
how what's the method to get you to show up?
How does somebody how does somebody get the Billy to
(13:33):
say listen, we need we need to hear his message.
And then how do we get him to show up? Well,
first of all, when someone like Joe Madden asked you
to come, you say yes. And that one I also,
I love the Hazelton Project. I speak Spanish. I'm down
in the Dominican often a very Hispanic environment in sant Ana, California. Um,
(13:54):
I was, you know, been not been a part of
my life always and so you know, you know, Joe,
that platform that you have and influence you you have,
You've been such a strong educator and these are these
are great examples for you know. I tried to inspire
the players in that way, but to get Billy Bean
the first eight years, I didn't say no to anything.
(14:17):
And I think that it was on an airplane. Um.
And really it's interesting because the when Dan halom Um
was really one of the you know, the integral figures
and me coming on board. He's a deputy commissioner. Now, Um,
there was no definition for my job. I thought. When
(14:39):
Baseball called me, I got a cryptic voicemail from a
guy named Paul Misson, who still works here and is
a great champion for inclusion and social responsibility. Um. They
said that this message uh was twelve years late and
and uh and I thought a player might be coming
(14:59):
out and that they wanted to talk to me about
and and they to me to come to New York.
And so I come, and I'm sitting in a room
with Pat Courtney, Dan Halem, uh, Peter wood Fork and
Steve Venzalis, Paul all these people are still here. UM.
And they had no idea what they what what I
(15:20):
was gonna be when I walked in the room, or
what my message was gonna be. And they started asking
a couple of questions and and by the end of
that conversation, UM, they you know, they walked me around
and at the time I was the only other former
player besides Joe Tory in the whole building, which is
hard to imagine now we really moved in. Uh. You know.
(15:41):
MLB Networks helped a lot with that. But UM, I
go home. A couple of days later, they asked me
if I'll consider coming to work for baseball and what
changed it and what made I think the reason baseball
was ready regardless of me being in the chair not
was Dan Halem sent me to the GM meetings in
(16:02):
Arizona in two thous in fourteen, Um, and I got
the last ten minutes of the three days that they
were there, and and um, and I just started to
share my story and and I had really challenged baseball
too to live up to being the sport of Jackie
Robinson and quit just saying that, Um, and let's talk
(16:25):
about inclusion and make these players, you know, see the opportunity.
And they all are ambassadors in one way or another.
And and and after I got done, half the room
uh walked up to me, people like Sandy Alderson and um,
you know, Sam Kennedy and and it was it was
(16:47):
just it was just something else, man, Uh, you know.
And they asked me to come to spring training. Uh.
And so that first couple of years, I just I
just kept saying yes. And it was really from relationships
Joe and Tom, from that I had as a player.
In two thousand and fourteen, I had played with or
against seven of the thirty active managers, and I was
(17:12):
afraid they would only see me as a gay man
and not remember me as a former player or colleague
or Pierre. You know, we the brotherhood is pretty strong,
you guys know that. Um, it's hard to get to
the big leagues, it's hard to stay in the big leagues.
And there's a level of respect and appreciation for for
(17:33):
every player that you know, it was able to reach
that destination and and and so it was all credit
to you know, strong leadership. Um. You know, Brad Osmus
was a manager of the Detroit Tigers. He asked me
to come speak to his and you know, Alan Trammell
was a coach. Uh, you know, I mean players that
(17:54):
I played with. It, I was just I felt like
I was going to throw up the first couple of times.
It was pretty very well. Billy, you've already made a
huge impact on the game. We're gonna take a quick break,
and when we do come back, I want to ask
you about where we go from here. We'll be right
back with the Book of Joe. Welcome back to the
(18:23):
Book of Joe podcast. Our guest is Bill Bean, Major
League Baseball Senior Vice President and Special Assistant to the Commissioner.
Began in the Commissioner's office as its first ambassador for
inclusion in the game, and Billy, you literally have brought
conversations into the clubhouse that did not take place. Uh, no,
one would dare speak some of the things that now
(18:45):
we speak openly about. That's progress at least. The next
question is has there been enough progress so that a player,
It's like a T. J. House who listened to your
presentation as a member with Cleveland as an active player,
would come out and say, yes, I am a gay man,
I am an active made your league player. Are we
close to that? Is that important? Even? I? I think
(19:08):
we we've come so far and we are close. Tom
When I was a player, I was lucky enough to
play for Sparky Anderson. I played for Tommy Lossorda. Um,
you've guys have both we been around the game a
long long time. And you know the way managers used
to talk, the way the media would chuckle, the way
we would sexualized women or or you know stereotype you
(19:32):
know gays. Um, the culture, the the the level of professionalism,
UM from management from the top down. UM. I couldn't
be more uh proud of the way the managers have
realized that you know, it starts with them, with that leadership.
(19:55):
And it doesn't mean you can't be fiery and you
can't be aggressive and you want to go to battle
every night. Um. But you know how we talk about people,
how we talk about other players, that's the start, because
I mean, every single day that I played, you know,
half the time I was afraid to get and sent
to Triple A. And the other time I just thought
nobody could ever find out who I am or there
(20:16):
you know, And and you can't play in the big
leagues with you know, half of your mind worried about
keeping a secret. And you know that that part it
was tough. There was no messaging, there was no education,
there was no consistency. There were very few women, there
were very few people of color that were working in
(20:36):
and around baseball. There was you know, we had um.
You know, the field has always been the most diverse environment,
you know. And you know, ever since Jackie Robinson, you know,
every team has looked for the best player, regardless of
the package that they come in. But the assumption that
a player could never be gay, Um, that just lived
(20:59):
and breathed everywhere we you know. And and so I
think because of the the visibility of the sport, the accessibility,
the you know, for whatever reason, the way we talk,
that's a start. Um. The you know, the more stakeholders
we have that represent all of these different identities. That
(21:20):
helps socialize it with the players. UM. I've spoken in
the Dominican and you know, culturally there's all kinds of differences. Um.
You know, I was given a presentation in Spanish and
a young players stood up one time and he he said,
it's not possible that you're gay because you you played
in the major leagues, and he was. He couldn't have
(21:42):
been seventeen years old. He was playing in an academy
and he was. He was dead serious, you know. He
just like, culturally it was not it didn't seem possible
to him. Nor maybe that a woman could be the
general manager of a major League baseball team like Kim Angers,
you know. And so that's the challenge. We have to
continue to uh provide examples, um that players can relate to,
(22:09):
because they are our greatest messengers. There's a lot to
consider by coming out and inviting that type of intimacy
and to the public into your life. It's hard enough
right now, and it's never been harder to play in
the big leagues, and careers will be for some that
will be forever long and for and for the majority,
(22:30):
they're going to get shorter and shorter, and and and
so there's a lot of things to consider and I
want I want every player to understand that, and I
have since the very first day. I don't care what
your sexual orientation is. I want you to understand what
baseball UH feels about acceptance and inclusion and that everyone
(22:52):
should feel welcome in every room. And then and if
we're not doing that, I want to hear about it.
Need to work hard to try to make UM those
differences I'll share with you. You know, one of my
big initiatives was as an event we do every year
called Spirit Day. And when Joe was, you know, defending
world champion manager of the Chicago Cubs, I walked out
(23:16):
onto the field. He gave me a big hug and
I handed him a Spirit Day shirt, which is a
day that's that's signifies UM shining a light on on
the bullying against l g B, t QUTH or like
five times you know, more likely to be bullied or
five times more likely to take their lives. And it
(23:36):
was a you know, it was a progressive message. And
he threw that shirt on like it was nothing, and
you know he understood that for many you know, if
I'm talking to l G B, t Q people. They're
gonna listen to me. But the amount of people that
would listen or or make a consideration for that message
because Joe was wearing that shirt, That's that's how baseball
(23:59):
continues to move forward when we can get buy in
from the people that are the most influential. And that's
the moment I'll never forget. Thank you Listen. We've talked
about this to Billy. I mean utilizing technology to spread
the word. Also, I've been trying to get us, you
and I together to do different zooms. Um I should
do those skyping kind of with classes journalism classes. Baseball
(24:23):
teams have done Princeton at the University of Texas Baseball team. UM,
are you guys considering it all? How do utilize technology,
even like with a podcast like this, to really, um
get your message out there. That's the only way that
it's really going to hit home. And people are gonna
listen and and and possibly make some changes and the
way they look at themselves and the way they look
(24:44):
at life. But they have to hear you. They have
to hear you. So if you guys consider that at all, well,
I think more more so there's so many different platforms.
I think TikTok has is an environment where we might
be able to forge into shorter but really really effective
messages to youth. And you know, this is the kind
(25:05):
of thing that I'm I oversee the d e f
I Committee for our MLB owners and trying to bring
progressive ideas that not only help grow the sport, and
and if we can get like you're saying, Joe, if
we can get ten players to want to talk about
you know, CSR issues UM and you know, for some
owners that feels a little scary, and then for some
(25:28):
others they're like, I'm all in. And so you know,
the the great challenges, you know, if that is something
that needs to be monetized, and with the union and
and UH and agents and you know, I try to
go directly to the players and and for those you know,
I started a program called shred Hate, which was bowling
(25:49):
prevention education program, and we got Mike Trout, Mookie Betts,
Aaron Judge, Nolan Arronado, Justin Verlander, Hobby Bias, Francisco Lindor
and they I was so proud Um that they were
willing to say, you know, let a kids feel like
(26:10):
along whether they can hit a baseball or throw a baseball,
but you know they have such electric influence and that
that I've shared that idea, I've shared your name in
the in those meetings that talking about ways that we
can UM be more impactful and and and stay engaged UH.
(26:31):
And I really feel positive that we're going to make
some space there in the next year or so. I'd
love to see that. I mean, again, your message needs
to be heard. And I've told you this before. I'm
pounding on this subject basically because one of the first
zooms or skypes I ever did Sottle, eighth grader asked
me at the end of the the skype session. Whose
journalism or journalism class says? What is what is Major
(26:54):
League Baseball doing regarding utilizing technology to help um uh
create more interest in the game with us as as
eighth graders. It's an eighth Wade kid asking me this
particular question. So from that one question and this is
like two right, and this is about probably twenty twelve
or eleven that I was asked that question, and I
(27:17):
believe it's fertile. I believe there's a lot of positive
benefits that can occur with this and then furthermore, you
talked about all these good players and I think that's great.
I think they we could get them to do it
during the season also would be very very nice. And
when we're on the road, you know what it's like
being on the road during a hotel. What else you
got to do at ten o'clock in the morning, right
you could? You could connect with the classrooms all over
the United States, all over the world, um, and having
(27:40):
you as a moderator I think would be in a
perfect method or way of of getting the point across. Anyway.
I'm just I wanted to get this out here today
because it's something I've been pounded on. Is you know
for years. I think there's a lot being left on
the bone right now that needs to be um attack
more diligently. Everybody talks stuff, everybody talks good stuff, but
at some point you have to eventually get out there
(28:01):
and actually do stuff. And you are the perfect guide
to spirit all of this. And I think the players,
um being properly educated, what you would do to be great? Uh,
make significance rides regarding everything you've been talking about today
and making an impact on potential future baseball. Either players
are just fans right, Well, why don't we make a
(28:24):
deal with each other. If you have me on here
at this time, you hold me to task and I'll
bring some results in that space. So I am. I'm
dedicated to it. I feel like you know, the how
we presented uh uh and when you when they are
able to see the impact UM and and with all
the all the things that are coming with what it
(28:45):
means to be a superstar player in the big leagues.
Right now, it feels like an easy ask. We just
gotta make it easy for him that that's that's the
challenge there. We handle a lot of that UM infrastructure
here at the officer, the commissioner. And one of the
things I think that Commissioner Manford has done really well
since we got the the c b A behind us.
(29:08):
This past April, UM was go and meet players. He
visited all thirty clubs and for you know, the whole
time prior to that, he had been had some distance
and I think there was a you know, a little miscommunication.
Maybe that's an understatement, but the idea that they could
(29:29):
see that you know, he wants UM to do what's
best for the game. We all want to grow the game.
We all want to stay engaged. We all understand the
tension span is constantly evolving and and um and there
we've got to put our minds together. And uh, I
just think that you touched on gold when you know
the idea you've always been somebody that looks into the crowd,
(29:53):
you see a face, you lock eyes, and that person
remembers that moment forever and and you know, you can
make a fan for life. I think we all remember,
you know, one of those first or second you know
times said you know, we had that interface with a
big league player, um and and how magical it seemed.
And I don't want them to ever forget or take
(30:15):
that part for granted. Yeah, I'll just say one more time.
I'm just like saying, ten o'clock in a hotel room
on the road is not that difficult, right. I really wish,
I really wish that more guys would sign up for
something like that, because I like, you're just saying eyeball
to eyeball, contact answering questions, your your idolis stand is
on the other end of the screen. Uh, TikTok whatever.
(30:36):
I I'm just saying that could be very impactful and
on so many different levels. No, you're absolutely right, and
especially when it comes to relating those personal stories, and
Billy is a great example of that. The impact of
telling his story personalizing large issues goes a long way.
But Billy, before you get out of here, got one
more job for you, and I promise you it's going
(30:57):
to be easy. This is a segment we call a
reading from the Book of Joe. In our book, there's
just so I think it's just packed with so many
good life lessons and stories and and leadership lessons. You
can literally turn to any page and find something of interest.
So that we ask our guests to pick a number
between one and three hundred sixty eight and we'll see
(31:22):
what the Book of Joe gives us. Okay, so you're
up at beat, Billy Beane, pick a number. Alright. So
I'm gonna trust my gut, which is tapping into the
accumulated life experiences when we're in the dugout, and I'm
gonna pick page forty four. Page forty four is there?
(31:43):
I couldn't follow your logic. There is there a reason
you picked forty four. I was just Hank Karen came
to mind Okay, thank god Rizzo didn't have forty four
rizzles dropped the forty eight. Honest a couple of days ago. Well,
you're you'll appreciate this, billy, because it goes back to
Joe Madden starting out as a scout for the Angels.
(32:03):
Love It, Love It, Love It, Love It. His first
day as a professional scout, with a hundred dollars and
no credit card to his name, he wound up at
a dog track in Tucson. In the gray haze of
his cigarette smoke. Luke cohen Our studied the racing form
like a seminary in combing through scripture. This was the
guy who was mentoring Joe. By the way, clearly this
(32:26):
was not lose first night. Madden was thoroughly impressed by
the knowing figure he cut. I'm thinking, okay, maybe I
can make a couple of bucks out of this, Maddon says.
I just followed, Lou, I can possibly double my money.
And what happened? He lost whatever I bet I lost.
It was maybe bucks, which might as well have been
(32:47):
ten thousand at that point. Then Lou looks at me,
puffing on a heater, pulling on it deeply smoke all
around him, and he gives me that smokers squint and
says in that cornerhowerd giggle. Get him next time, kid,
bad night, Luke, bad night. I was counting on him too, Man,
bad night. Um Man, I don't know. There's many places
(33:10):
hotter than Tucson in the middle of the summer thing, right,
Oh my god, no doubt. Well. I I loved your book, Joe,
and I've just been a privilege to you know, stay
connected to you over the years, and and uh, this
is so is a treat. I love your Guys show.
And if I can never be of assistance YouTube, Tom,
you do great work. And you know, Tom, you did
(33:32):
a great story. Uh, you know, trying to you know,
learn more about mental health and wellness platforms at baseball,
and we're we've worked hard in that space. And appreciate
your fairness and your and your efforts to well, thank
you so much for everything you do, Billy. I just know,
all the years I've been in the game, there has
definitely been so much progress, especially in the last decade
(33:54):
or so, by the game becoming not just more inclusive
and diverse, which is great, but even more respectful. And
you know that's a word sometimes that almost people almost
looked down upon that. In the world of baseball is
pecking order. That was there, and I see it's a
It's a much better environment to enjoy and to play in.
So thank you, you got it, You got it. I
(34:16):
hope you guys both have a great holiday and Joe
will be in touch. All right, Buddy, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays,
and best to your family too. But I appreciate thanks,
Thanks again, appreciate it. Take care boy. That was that
was a treat Joe to listen to Billy Bean. He's
already made an impact and will continue to do so
on this game. Yeah. I mean just by listening to him,
if you're hearing for the first time, you can see
(34:37):
why he's the right person for this job. Um. Like
I said, we we talked about it briefly during the podcast.
Just an easy guy to like. And I just when
I first met him, he said ninety two. I thought
it might have been ninety three. But um, just a
good baseball player, a good fellow. And then he comes
to Hazelton and made a huge impact on my hometown
by by through his words, UM for the Hazelton Integration
(35:01):
Project hip back there, which we have so many issues
back there. A lot of it pertains to bullying and
and diversity and the fact that groups don't want to
accept one another. So anyway, he came into a wonderful
job and I thought he was outstanding and people just
need to hear more often. Yeah, it's an important message,
and I think even even more so it's important at
this time of year. I mean, folks, is as simple
(35:23):
as just being kind to one another, right, treat people
like family, and you really can't go wrong. And we
want to wish our listeners as well. Joe, of course,
the best of all holidays. I don't know about you.
Usually for me, I think about Christmas. You think about
being a kid, right and having that Christmas spirit. If
you have it as an adult, you've won people. Um.
(35:43):
So it got me thinking about Christmas gifts, Joe, did
you ever have a Christmas gift as a kid that,
even to this day you're like, Wow, I can't believe
I got that was the best gift. It was woke up.
We lived in a small apartment and I just peered
out the the doorway into the hallway and sent it
had already been there, and left the flexible flyer sleds
(36:06):
with the chrome bumper standing against the wall right there. Um.
I could not wait to get that stucker out the
next day on the hill and that was it. It's
a flexible flyer sled with the chrome bumper on the front.
You has to have the chrome bumper really be cool.
And their their logo in the center of that thing
was outstanding. I broken a couple of times. My dad
fixed it, but it was the flexible flyer. I might
(36:28):
have been nine or ten years old, something like that,
so it's like right around nine. That was absolutely an
indelible Christmas present. Pretty cool as long as you didn't
break your collar bone. I think you're good with breaking
the sled. I did that when I was a kid,
for me, for me, I, me and my brothers, we
were always playing, competing you name, we competed at it.
(36:49):
One year, I got one of those table top hockey games,
the rods, not the one the big ones that they
have in a game room with a dome on top,
the old school rod hockey, and we took the the
hockey puck that came with it, took that out and
we got this ball bearing type thing that was from
the game Carum and we used that as the puck,
so it was like at warp speed playing rod hockey
(37:11):
and we just would beat each other up. I love
that stuff. I know the game. I love the game.
Those things you just can't forget. So all the best
of all of our listeners throughout the holidays and the
New year, and um, hey, why don't we leave them
with a message, Joe, what do you got? Yeah, I
was just I was going through some stuff today and
this comes from Drake, and I thought it was really
(37:32):
pertinent based on our show today, what's going on right now,
the holiday season, plus in the world in general. And
I thought this was really pertinent life. Excuse me, live
without pretending, love without depending, Listen without defending, and speak
without offending. Um. Really really simple message. A lot of
(37:55):
withouts in there, without pretending, without depending, without defending, and
without offending. I thought, pretty simple and good way to
go about creating relationships with others. I thought it was outstanding,
terrific message. Thanks so much, Joe, and we'll catch it
next time, okay, brother, thank you very much. The Book
(38:19):
of Joe podcast is a production of I Heart Radio.
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