Stompers Pride Night to celebrate first openly gay pro player

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Sonoma Valley Sun

Sean Conroy is a great baseball player. As the Stompers relief pitcher he leads the Pacific Association in saves with three and strikes out an average of seven hitters per innings pitched.

He’s not only a great player, he’s also the first openly gay pro-baseball player who is actively playing. Legendary LA Dodgers player Glen Burke came out as gay privately to teammates and staff, only to come out publicly after retiring from pro sports in the early 80s.

June is LGBTQ Pride Month and the Sonoma Stompers are celebrating their pride with Pride Night on Thursday, June 25.

“I’ve always played baseball because it was fun and I loved the sport,” says Conroy, who will make his first start of the season at Pride Night. “Being gay doesn’t change anything about the way I play or interact with my teammates.”

This celebration of pride comes weeks after the suicide death of bisexual Sonoma Valley teen Adam Kizer. “I hope that in leading by example, more LGBT youth will feel confident to pursue their dreams, whatever those dreams may be,” adds Conroy.

Tickets for Pride Night start at $4. Get your tickets at stompersbaseball.com.