TORONTO — Red Sox manager John Farrell said Jason Collins had a lot of courage to make the announcement he did Monday, when the former Celtics player and active NBA player said he was gay.
TORONTO — Red Sox manager John Farrell said Jason Collins had a lot of courage Monday, when the former Celtics player announced he was gay — the first active player in a major team sport to do so.
The Red Sox have already invited Collins to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park.
Farrell was asked about the subject of a gay player on Jackie Robinson Day, April 15 — exactly two weeks before Collins' announcement. Farrell on Tuesday echoed his sentiments from Jackie Robinson Day.
Here are Farrell's two answers on the subject from an interview with MLB Network Radio.
"Honestly I think this — one, I think it's a lot of courage on Jason's part to say what he did and reveal what his orientation is. But I think it kind of becomes a non-issue. We've been asked by our own beat reporters and our players have been asked to comment on this possibility coming into the game or players acknowledging their preferences. My view on this is we respect every player that walks through our clubhouse door, as long as that respect is mutual, our goal is to work together as a group, regardless of choices and the rights of individuals — our goal is to win a World Series, and how can we collectively do that? I think the game maybe reflects society somewhat. And this conversation took place on Jackie Robinson Day, and what his breaking of the color barrier meant not only to the game, but society. I don't think sports is in a different place than it was at that time, it just happened to be with a different topic. I think there's a lot more tolerance and I don't think this becomes a major story going forward."
Farrell was then asked about the unique nature of a baseball clubhouse, and the fact that players often give each other a hard time, rib one another.
"I don't know it that becomes something that someone would give someone a hard time about. But you're right, this work place setting is unique and most every clubhouse in every sport is a unique setting. Particularly a team sport, as much time as everyone spends together and the challenges that you have to face collectively. Correlated to the same things, we've got players from seven countries of the 25 guys as well. There are going to be differences culturally that are so different than many other work places. You embrace those differences and you can learn from it. I think that's the way our clubhouse views it and I would say that's probably the case in many clubhouses across the game."
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