Turn of Phrase - Top WNBA Draft Pick Is Gay

Brittney Griner - #1 WNBA draft pick

"If I can show that I'm out and I'm fine and everything's okay, then hopefully the younger generation will definitely feel the same way."

- From Brittney Griner, the number one overall pick in Monday's WNBA draft. 

The 6-foot-8 Griner, who led the Baylor Lady Bears to a 40-0 season and the NCAA women's basketball title in 2012, acknowledged her lesbian sexuality this week in a Sports Illustrated interview.

According to Griner, public recognition of her sexual orientation "wasn't too difficult," as she has lived openly and never attempted to hide who she was. It also helps that the trail for professional lesbian athletes has already been blazed by women like Sheryl Swoopes, the three-time gold medalist and first woman ever signed by the WNBA, and by tennis legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova. 

Coming out on such a big stage takes guts nonetheless and Griner should be commended for having the mettle to be open about her sexuality. Gay kids across the spectrum need all the support we can muster, and out gay and lesbian role models in professional sports are still pathetically few and far between, particularly among male athletes.

John Amaechi and Glenn Burke

Gay men have played in the big four professional sports in the U.S., but few have ever publicly acknowledged their sexuality and none have done so before retiring from their respective leagues. John Amaechi, who played in the NBA off-and-on for several years between 1995 and 2003, came out in 2007 and was the first NBA player (albeit a retired one) to do so. Similarly, MLB outfielder Glenn Burke, who had a brief career with the LA Dodgers and the Oakland As, came out in 1982 after retiring from baseball at the tender age of 27.

Can you imagine the hullaballoo that would surround a current top NBA draft pick who came out? Better yet, what if RGIII had announced he was gay just after signing with the NFL's Washington Redskins? I'm not expecting such a revelation anytime soon in mens' professional baseball, football, or basketball, but the world is ready. 

Now, we just have to hope there's a young gay male athlete somewhere out there with as big a heart and as much courage as Brittney Griner.

Rookie Hit By Phillies' Hamels Gets Last Laugh

Last night, Philadelphia Phillies pitching ace Cole Hamels intentionally beaned Washington Nationals rookie Bryce Harper in the small of the back with the first pitch he threw to the 19 year-old.

Amazingly, after the game Hamels admitted to targeting the 93-mph fastball directly at Harper as a "welcome to the big leagues."

Harper suffered no serious injury and took first base immediately upon being hit by the pitch. Later in the inning after advancing to third base, Harper returned the favor and played a joke of his own on Hamels, by successfully stealing home and scoring a run after Hamels attempted to check a runner at first base.

After Harper paid Hamels back his way, Major League Baseball still had to weigh in on the incident. In response to Hamels' post-game admission, MLB issued a 5-game suspension to the pitcher for intentionally throwing at the rookie.

You seldom see a base runner steal home plate in the majors - this video from ESPN breaks down the play perfectly.

6 Year-Old Cooper Stone Tosses Out First Pitch

Six year-old Cooper Stone threw out the first pitch this afternoon at the opening playoff game between the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays. Cooper is the 6 year-old boy who watched his father fall to his death while trying to catch a game ball tossed from the playing field into the outfield stands at a Texas home game in July.

For his first pitch toss, Cooper was accompanied on to the field by his mother Jenny where they were greeted by Ranger all-star Josh Hamilton. Hamilton squatted into a catcher's stance about half way between the pitcher's mound and home plate to snag the pitch from the six year-old.

After the ceremonial pitch, the six year-old walked over to Hamilton who remained crouched. They exchanged a moment of conversation before Cooper sweetly tossed his arms around the baseball player's neck. Hamilton then stood and gave a long supportive hug to Jenny Stone, appearing to take time to ask how both she and Cooper were doing. They talked for a few minutes, and Hamilton hugged both mom and son again before they left the field together.

It was a very tender moment in baseball history, as it was actually Hamilton who threw the ball into the outfield stands in July that ultimately led to the horrific fall and untimely death of Cooper Stone's father.

If you're interested, a video clip of Cooper's first pitch and hug with Hamilton is linked in this article (scroll down to the second "picture" window to see the video). It will likely end up being my favorite moment of the 2011 MLB Playoffs.