Jim Kozimor sat down with Sean Conroy to talk about his historic start with the Stompers.
Sean Conroy was live in studio Monday evening with Jim Kozimor on CSN Bay Area's Yahoo! Sports Talk Live to talk about his historic evening during the Stompers' Pride Night celebration.
Isaac Wenrich hugs Sean Conroy after his historic start on Pride Night.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
hris Tognotti, Staff Writer
June 26, 2015 will go down in American history as an enormous day for gay rights, with the Supreme Court's sweeping ruling effectively legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. And just one night earlier, there was another groundbreaking story playing out on a baseball diamond in the city of Sonoma, California, just north of the Bay Area — Sean Conroy became the first openly gay baseball player ever to take the field, and followed it up with a dominant, nine-inning shutout of the Vallejo Admirals.
It's an important (and awesome, quite frankly) story, especially in the context of an America that's made such huge strides for gay rights recently. In 2011, the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy was repealed 17 years after its enactment, and even before the Supreme Court sped the pace on marriage equality with their Friday ruling, the progress was stark: 35 states had legal same-sex marriage by the time it went nationwide.
And yet, within the realm of American professional sports, active out athletes are few and far between. The NBA had Jason Collins, MLS has Robbie Rogers, and for a while, it seemed like the NFL would have Michael Sam. But in baseball, there's been no such example with an active player — former Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics outfielder Glenn Burke was reportedly out to some of his teammates in the 1970s, but not to the public.
In a press release by the Stompers, Conroy gave a short, sweet explanation for why he decided to come out.
"I’ve always played baseball because it was fun and I loved the sport. Being gay doesn’t change anything about the way I play or interact with teammates. I hope that in leading by example, more LGBT youth will feel confident to pursue their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.
Obviously, a league that boasts such relative unknowns as the Sonoma Stompers, Vallejo Admirals, and San Rafael Pacifics won't be mistaken for the brightest stage. The Stompers play in the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, an independent professional league that exists below the talent level of the MLB-affiliated minor leagues, but above semi-pro ventures."
But a pro is a pro, and Conroy left little doubt as to his skills on Thursday night. He pitched a complete game in front of his home crowd at Sonoma's Arnold Field, shutting out the Admirals by a final score of 7-0, and a dominant 11 strikeouts.
To put it another way, if you're scripting your inspirational Hollywood film: the first-ever openly gay pro baseball player came out on his team's Pride Night, then turned in a virtuoso, nearly unblemished performance. He only allowed three hits over those nine innings — he was virtually untouchable.
Someday, perhaps soon, we'll see a Major League Baseball player come out to the world, demolishing yet another barrier in American sports. But whenever that day comes, never forget that he won't be the first pro bat-swinger or pitch-slinger to go public about who they are, because that distinction goes to Conroy. Here's hoping we'll hear about more dynamic pitching from him — and if his team's staggering 17-3 win-loss record continues, that's probably a safe bet.
Sean Conroy warms up before his start on Thursday.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Jim Buzinski, Co-Founder
The set-up and ending were perfect: Sean Conroy, a 23-year-old baseball prospect with the Sonoma Stompers of the independent Pacific Association of Baseball Clubs, came out as gay prior to the team's Thursday Pride Night. He then threw a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as the Stompers beat the Vallejo Admirals, 7-0, in his first start.
With his announcement, Conroy has become the first publicly gay professional baseball player, though there have been Major League Baseball players like Glenn Burke and Billy Bean who came out after retiring. The team posted this tweet after the game ended with Conroy being hugged by teammate Isaac Wenrich:
"It's not that I wanted it to go public, but I didn't care if it was open information. It's who I am," Conroy said. "I am definitely surprised that no one else has been openly gay in baseball yet.
"I've always played baseball because it was fun and I loved the sport. Being gay doesn't change anything about the way I play or interact with teammates. I hope that in leading by example, more LGBT youth will feel confident to pursue their dreams, whatever those dreams may be."
Conroy's teammates wore rainbow socks and armbands in support, but he did not.
This is such a cool way for an athlete to come out and also for how the team and its players are embracing the history. The Stompers website has a list of the news stories about Conroy and Pride Night, showing that they see it as something to celebrate and not a "distraction."
It's still a long way to go before Conroy makes a Major League Baseball roster, if he ever does. AP reports that "players live with host families during the June-to-August season, earn $650 a month on average, and supply their own cleats, batting gloves and elbow guards." But he has already made history and should serve as an inspiration to other athletes.
Isaac Wenrich had a big weekend in Pittsburg, adding two more hits on Sunday to finish 7-for-15 over three games. He's now hitting .311/.376/.533 on the season.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Tim Livingston, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations
The Sonoma Stompers missed out on their fifth sweep of the season as the Pittsburg Stompers kept the pressure on early and pulled away for good late in a 9-6 loss for the first-place Stompers.
Sonoma (19-4) took the lead in the fifth after an odd play, as a fly ball by Kristian Gayday was tracked down by Pittsburg (8-16) center fielder Tim Battle, but Battle up and dropped the ball instead of collecting the final out of the inning. Joel Carranza scored to tie the game and Yuki Yasuda followed with an RBI double to plate Gayday and make it 4-3.
But Matt Walker (2-1) couldn't get through the sixth, as the Diamonds put together a rally that chased the Stompers Opening Night starter from the game with two outs in the inning. Battle atoned for his error with a bases-clearing double just out of the reach of Fehlandt Lentini in center to give Pittsburg the lead for good.
Sonoma looked like they were going to really turn things around in the seventh when Daniel Baptista and Andrew Parker both hit solo shots to cut the Pittsburg lead to 7-6, but the Diamonds turned around and got those two runs back in the eighth, with Steve Chapter slamming the door shut in the ninth for his fifth save.
Gayday and Isaac Wenrich both had two hits for the Stompers, with Wenrich going 7-for-15 with three doubles over the weekend. Carranza went 0-for-3 before leaving the game for precautionary reasons with a groin issue, breaking his seven game hit streak.
One thing that didn't change with Sonoma's loss was their spot in the Pacific Association standings. While both Vallejo and Pittsburg gained a game on the Stompers, San Rafael's 2-1 loss on Sunday kept the team seven games ahead of the defending champions in the standings.
The two teams will face off seven times over the next week beginning on Tuesday. Sonoma will travel to San Rafael for three games before coming home on Friday, July 3 for three games. On Sunday, July 5 Sonoma will play that unique day-night home and home doubleheader with a 7-inning game beginning at 1:05 p.m. at Arnold Field and a second 7-inning game starting at 6:05 p.m. in San Rafael.
Tuesday's game will begin at 7:05 p.m. with the radio broadcast beginning at 6:50 p.m. Big lefty Eric Schwieger will get the start for Sonoma, who lost their only game of the season that they played in San Rafael back on June 10.
ered Mochizuki had a season-high five RBIs on Saturday, including a bases-clearing double that helped Sonoma take down Pittsburg.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Tim Livingston, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations
Even with another big inning early in the game much like they did on Friday night against Pittsburg, Sonoma knew that the Diamonds were not going to go down without a fight.
Thankfully, the Stompers offense answered every Pittsburg outburst with one of their own, and when Paul Hvozdovic got Rich Mejia to fly out to right field to end the game, Sonoma had set a new franchise record for wins in a row. Saturday's 9-7 victory was the seventh straight win for the Stompers, breaking the record of six the team set during the first week of the season.
While it was a seven run inning on Friday night that got Sonoma (18-3) out to a lead they would never relinquish, Saturday night's five run third inning came after a leadoff home run from Pittsburg (7-16) as Brandon Williams took Stompers starter Mike Jackson, Jr. (2-1) deep in the bottom of the first to open the scoring.
Yet Sonoma found a way in the third to get to the sidearming southpaw Mike Miller (0-1) who was making his season debut with the Diamonds. Sonoma loaded the bases with two outs, and on a pitch to the left-handed hitting Gered Mochizuki, the Stompers shortstop lined a shot down the left field line just out of the reach of Williams for a bases clearing double to give Sonoma the lead.
The doubles kept coming as Joel Carranza and Isaac Wenrich each had one of their own, giving Sonoma all five runs with two outs and a great advantage for Jackson once he went back out for the third.
Pittsburg kept battling back, though, and when the two teams looked at the scoreboard come the sixth inning, it was tied at 5-5 and the Stompers were trying to figure out how to hold off the surging Diamonds.
The Stompers got those four runs back in the later innings to give themselves the lead once again, but two critical at-bats featuring Diamonds slugger Mike Taylor became nail-biting moments for the visiting squad. Facing Jerome Godsey in the seventh as the go-ahead run, Taylor kept fouling off pitches before taking a breaking ball on the outside corner for a called strike three to end the inning on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.
When Pittsburg got two more runs in the ninth off Paul Hvozdovic, the Diamonds couldn't have asked for a better situation when Taylor strode to the plate. Just like in the seventh, there were two runners on and he represented the winning run. Just like in the seventh, he fouled off pitches to stay alive against a tough lefty. Just like in the seventh, he went down looking, this time on a perfectly placed fastball on the inside corner that froze Taylor and sent him to the dugout with his third strikeout of the evening.
That led to Mejia's flyout to give Sonoma an unprecedented 18th win in 21 games in 2015, and much like it has been all year, the Stompers offense led the team to victory again. Carranza had three hits to extend a seven-game hitting streak, pushing his average north of .300 to .301. Wenrich had two doubles on the evening and has three in his last two games. Mochizuki had a season-high five RBIs and Sergio Miranda reached base four times and drove in a run.
The hard look at the Stompers offense shows that up and down the lineup, different parts of the order come through on different nights. Tonight, it was the guys in the heart of the order that did it, and when that part of the lineup is hot, the team has looked unbeatable.
On Sunday afternoon, Matt Walker will return to Pittsburg for the first time since his one-hitter back on June 17, where he took a no-hitter into the ninth before Mejia broke it up with a one-out single. The first pitch for tomorrow's game is set for 1:05 p.m., with the radio broadcast beginning at 12:50.
Sean Conroy gets ready to make history on Thursday night.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Sports Illustrated Wire Service
Sean Conroy became the first openly gay baseball player to appear in a professional game on Thursday.
Conroy pitched nine scoreless innings to lead the Sonoma Stompers to a 7-0 win over the Vallejo Admirals in the Pacific Association of Baseball Clubs, an independent league featuring teams from Northern California.
The Stompers' general manager, Theo Fightmaster, told the Associated Press that the team did not make a special announcement so that Conroy could focus on his start. According to Fightmaster, Conroy told teammates and management about his sexual orientation and agreed to come out on the Stompers' Pride Night.
"It's not that I wanted it to go public, but I didn't care if it was open information. It's who I am," Conroy said, according to the AP. "I am definitely surprised that no one else has been openly gay in baseball yet."
Conroy, a native of Clifton Park, N.Y., graduated from Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2015. The 23-year-old made appearances as a relief pitcher before debuting as a starter on Thursday.
Sean Conroy smiles after his historic start on Thursday night.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Spencer Fordin, MLB.com Reporter
Sean Conroy made a statement just by doing his job on Thursday night.
Conroy, believed to be the first active openly gay player in professional baseball history, threw a shutout for the Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.
Conroy struck out 11 batters and led Sonoma to a 7-0 victory over the Vallejo Admirals on Thursday night, a mere matter of hours before the Unites States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in all 50 states in a landmark decision.
"It's something that I've wanted to do for the last few years, playing through college ball, seeing it as an opportunity to represent the cause and help young people in whatever way I can," Conroy told MLB.com about his decision to come out publicly. "From the start, all of my teammates have been very supportive. It's great to have them have my back in the field and in the dugout. It's amazing.
"All of the fan support was overwhelming -- the rainbow socks, wristbands, arm sleeves. It was just incredible."
The 23-year-old never allowed a runner to get past second base and never had an inning with more than one runner on base at a time. Conroy's 11 strikeouts were one shy of a team record, and he threw 140 pitches in the victory. Conroy told reporters after the game that the whole day was a blur.
"I still haven't been able to process it," said Conroy. "After the final out, I just wanted to celebrate with my teammates, like we always have."
Conroy, a native of Clifton Park, N.Y., pitched for Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he went 6-2 with a 1.87 ERA in 2015, his senior season. Conroy logged a 1.29 ERA as a junior and a 1.81 mark as a sophomore. This year, prior to turning pro, he was named the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year.
Isaac Wenrich had three hits for Sonoma in an 11-8 victory over Pittsburg. Wenrich and teammate Joel Carranza each have five hits in their last two games.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Tim Livingston, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations
For the second time over its first 20 games of 2015, the Sonoma Stompers have won six consecutive games, as they defeated the Pittsburg Diamonds in game one of their three game weekend series, 11-8.
Sonoma (17-3) got huge games from the middle of its order, as Joel Carranza (2-for-5, 2B, 2 R) and Isaac Wenrich (3-for-5, 2B) set the tone for the evening. A seven run barrage in the second-inning seemed like it was going to be enough for Sonoma, but even after sending 13 batters to the plate and chasing starter Mike DeLong (0-2), Pittsburg (7-15) kept coming and coming.
Yet even when Sonoma saw their lead cut down to 8-5 after five innings, the Stompers were able to squeeze a few more runs out of their league-leading offense, making a winner out of Jeff Conley (1-1) for the first time in his career. Erik Gonsalves and Jon Rand each threw two innings of relief to finish things up, and Sonoma has tied the franchise record win streak it set the first week of the season.
While the offense was all over the place, defense did shine bright in a few places, especially in the outfield. Matt Hibbert made a sensational grab on a fly ball to deep right field from Jay Almendral, diving back and over his left shoulder just shy of the warning track to make the first out of the fourth. Three batters later, Mark Hurley dove forward on a sinking line drive to left from Brandon Williams to steal a hit away and end the inning with the same flair Hibbert had begun it with.
The Stompers will go for a franchise-record seventh straight victory on Saturday evening when they travel back to Pittsburg for game two of their three game series. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. with the radio broadcast beginning at 4:50 on StompersBaseball.com and TuneIn.
Sonoma Stompers pitcher Sean Conroy stretches during practice Tuesday at Arnold Field in Sonoma. Conroy, 23, of Clifton Park, N.Y., is the first openly gay player to enter the professional baseball ranks, according to the Stompers.
Christopher Chung//AP via The Press Democrat
Originally Published: Baseball Essential
oshua Sadlock, Reporter
About as far away from the glittering ballparks of the Major Leagues as you can get, the Sonoma Stompers are playing host to baseball history this season. The Stompers, who play in the independent Pacific Association of Baseball Clubs, play their home games at Arnold Field in Sonoma, California. In the heart of wine country, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, a city that’s celebrating history of another kind today, the Stompers are playing this season with baseball’s first openly gay professional player.
Sean Conroy, who is 23 and in his first season with the Stompers, publicly came out ahead of his first start, a 7-0 shutout win on Pride Night. Conroy, who made teammates and management aware of his sexual orientation prior to the start of the season, has already recorded four saves for the Stompers on the season. His start marked the first time an openly gay player took the field at any level of professional baseball.
While Conroy’s teammates sported rainbow socks and armbands, Conroy did not. He preferred to let his pitching do the talking, and with 11 strikeouts over nine innings, talk it did. Conroy has been open about his sexuality since the age of 16, and did not view his public acknowledgement of it as something to be fussed over. “It’s not that I wanted it to go public, but I didn’t care if it was open information. It’s who I am,” he said. “I am definitely surprised that no one else has been openly gay in baseball yet.”
There has not yet been an openly gay player at the Major League level, although both Glenn Burke and Bill Bean have come out post-career. Baseball historian John Thorn confirmed, “Of course, that over the years, there have been rumors of this Major League player or that one being gay, but that’s just idle chatter and counts for nothing,” Thorn said. “In terms of an openly gay player, we haven’t had one yet.”
Unlike other professional athletes who have come out, Jason Collins and Michael Sam come to mind, Conroy does not appear concerned about being a pioneer. That should not overshadow the fact that he is doing something very courageous and praiseworthy. He just wants to be himself and move on with the season. I do think it’s quite telling that he chose not to wear rainbow socks or armbands. Perhaps that has something to do with the relative obscurity in which he plays. By the end of the year, most of us will have forgotten that Conroy exists, and unlike Collins and Sam, book deals, analyst gigs, and Dancing With The Stars appearances do not appear likely to follow. If he sniffs a Major League roster, it will be a miracle.
Our country is progressing in the right direction in terms of acceptance and compassion towards those who choose to love whomever they may want (evidenced, in part, by this morning’s Supreme Court decision). For Sean Conroy, being open about his life is nothing new. For a few more years, doing so will earn him the title “pioneer,” and it is a fair title to be given for a player who has done something no one else has dared to do, no matter how far removed from fame he may be. For the sake of our country, and the sake of humanity in this country, however, my only hope is that one day, such a move will not be seen as ground-breaking, or even shocking. Every single person deserves the right to feel comfortable in their own skin, as Conroy obviously does. Progress is being made toward creating a more accepting environment and atmosphere in sports, but until an athlete going against the grain is labeled a “starting pitcher” instead of a “pioneer,” there is still work to be done. Sean Conroy gets that, and for that, I commend him.
Sean Conroy celebrates with catcher Isaac Wenrich after his historic start in Sonoma on Thursday.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Katie Marzullo, Reporter
The Sonoma Stompers are an independent minor league baseball team and they celebrated a shut out win and pride Thursday night, by acknowledging their starting pitcher, Sean Conroy, as the first openly gay pro baseball player.
"Having all the fans here and having Pride Night. It was just amazing," Conroy said.
In his first professional start, Conroy pitched a 7-0 shutout against the Vallejo Admirals. He is an openly gay player, which is a first for professional baseball.
"If you can play, you can play, so it doesn't matter your sexual orientation, whatever. If you love something do it," Conroy said.
It was his teammates' idea to wear something special to honor Pride Night and they couldn't be prouder of him. They wore rainbow socks to help celebrate the occasion. Fellow pitcher Jon Rand hopes the message reaches beyond the Bay Area.
"Anybody can play. You have Mo'ne Davis; you have a female baseball player. This game does not discriminate against anybody. It's a fair game," Rand said.
The fans at the game loved watching baseball and loved the message.
"An out pitcher, starting, is phenomenal. It just doesn't happen; so it's really cool to see it and I'm thrilled it's in my community and that I can be part of it," Santa Rosa resident Brenda Hays said.
The game may have served as a platform for gay rights, but don't forget, Conroy also served up a big win.
"He's here because he can pitch. He's here because he deserves a chance to pitch professionally. This isn't some sort of sideshow. He's here because he can get guys out," Theo Fightmaster, the vice president and general manager of the Sonoma Stompers said.
It's a winning team making history.
