The Gay Softball World Series was in Columbus from August 16 to 21, featuring over 140 teams from across North American, somewhere around 4,000 players, and a volunteer presence in the hundreds.

As biased as I may be being from the host town, I must say, the tournament was organized and executed phenomenally.  While I heard it through the grapevine, word on the street was that the board members of NAGAAA – the national governing organization – considered this year’s tournament the best in the history of the event.  Also, the director of the Berliner softball complex, where the event was held, considered it the most organized event he had seen.

The volunteer contribution by the city of Columbus was commendable.  And while that is tooting my own horn, I have to salute all the other volunteers.  The sea of orange volunteer shirts was evident at every event: both social and at the fields.  We were friendly, we were helpful, and we made the even run as successful as it did.

The city was well integrated in the event with the Mayor speaking at the opening ceremonies and the city’s most traversed road, High Street, closed for a block party.  In doing such a good job, I can only hope to see the tournament come back to Columbus in the next 5 years.

With my final words, I’ll direct your attention to some media from the event.  I uploaded the final 9 photos I took from the closing block party to this Facebook album.  I wasn’t there to see the feature performer, Grammy and Tony award winning artist, Jennifer Holliday, but this video on YouTube shows off her diva vocal ability and pans through the crowd so you can see the well-attended block party.

I also created a video from the footage I took at the gameplay on Complex D on August 21.  The YouTube video below compressed the file a bit and lowered the quality more than I’d like.  If you’d like to see a high quality version, you can download it here (115 mb).

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If a “trifecta” is three of something, then a “quadfecta” would be four, right?  Just go with it, please.

Outsports, my favorite source among many where I get much of my article fodder, has forwarded four very interesting stories in the last day or so.

I’d love to give you more of my own analysis of these four stories, but being whelmed (just whelmed… it’s not serious enough yet to be of the ‘over’ variety) by the start of classes again, I can only share some brief thoughts on each at this time.

(1)   Glee, Kurt Hummel to get gay quarterback

E! Online has reported that Kurt finally gets with the star quarterback on this hit show Glee, but it is not current QB, Finn.  (Apparently there is some dynamic already between Kurt and Finn?).  Rather, a new character is entering the show to be the new QB / love interest.

Quick thoughts: (1) I don’t like how the perceptions of a gay football player is usually the quarterback or the kicker.  (2) I hope there is some storyline on the competition between Finn and this new guy for the QB position, and whether his sexuality will play a part in either the competition process or in trying to undermine him later.  (3) I will be curious to see if he is out from the beginning or if he comes out after earning the starting nod, and how they will show that process.  … I guess I’ll have to watch Glee for the first time. (Please don’t tell the gay police.)

(2)   Notre Dame QB Dayne Crist against homophobia

The Los Angeles Times ran a story about Notre Dame’s new quarterback, Dayne Crist.  LA Times is covering the story, because Crist hails from the Los Angeles area and because being the Notre Dame QB is one of the most coveted positions you can attain in collegiate athletes (despite recent declines in the program, a subject for another day).

Within the article is a gem about Crist’s dedication to public service and advocacy:

“On a July afternoon, Crist, a two-year starter at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High, arrived early for an appointment at the Guglielmino Athletics Complex, wearing red workout shorts and a black T-shirt. On the shirt’s front, in large white lettering, was a slogan: “StaND Against Hate.”

“It was a week on campus dedicated to ending hate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.”

You can find, and thank, Crist on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dcrist10

(3)   Van Raaphorst speaks to Edmonton sports group

Billy Van Raaphort’s story of homophobic abuse while umpiring a minor league baseball game has recently spread through the major media sources.  (Evidence: this site had a record day of traffic and hits from Google searches after his story went national.)

The significance of this most recent coverage is the response by the Edmonton sports group that owns the Edmonton Capitals, the team that had the homophobic manager.  The group also owns the NHL franchise, Edmonton Oilers.

The group brought in Van Raaphort speak on diversity, and it received significant coverage in Edmonton (links provided in the Outsports article).

Once again, the NHL and its franchises are proving to be the most receptive to the existence of gay participants in their little world of sports.

(4)   Writer predicts out pro athlete fairly soon

Mark McGuire of the Albany Times-Union wrote a column about the likelihood of an active, openly gay, professional athlete.  This is just a single perspective among many, but I am always fascinated to read these stories.  McGuire thinks it “will be revealed in the not-too-distant future.”  He has no scoop; it is just his hunch.

He also provided some quotes from current players on the topic.

New York Giants linebacker Bryan Kehl (who is Mormon and disagrees with the “lifestyle”) said: “If there is a guy who can hold his own as a football player, I think that’s the bottom line. Because that’s what guys care about.”

He quotes several other perspectives at the end of his piece and also makes the often comparison to the gay community’s Jackie Robinson.

He also opened discussion for comments on a separate page, which are always fascinating to read.

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The GLBT blog Towleroad recently interviewed openly gay, ex-NBA player John Amaechi.  While countless interviews with Amaechi are out there, there were a few parts from this particular interview that I wanted to share.

In response to a question about the recent survey of fans in the UK about homophobia in soccer and how that could correlate with fans in the U.S., Amaechi had this to say:

“I think that many fans in the US already feel that way [open-mindedness and general acceptance of difference (especially LGBT)], and are simply ‘waiting’ to be explicitly told it’s ok to lose the machismo, bullshit, ‘no homo’ attitude, by enough people in authority, including current straight players, owners, etc.”

I agree entirely.  While the sports world may carry the stigma of being homophobic, overall, I think it is an overblown perspective for the sake of tradition.

Amaechi on taking the first shot in the arena for the 2012 London Olympics:

“It was great to christen the new space and really great that my being gay was not even a part of any of the discussion as to whether I should or shouldn’t open the gym.”

Lastly, Amaechi on hearing personal stories from LGBT youth:

“I cherish the moments when young people choose to share their stories. It feels to me like the most important thing a person can do is to listen to people when they feel able to tell you about their ideas, thoughts and aspirations. Interestingly, it isn’t just LGBT people who seem to feel their lives resonate with mine, but whether by email or in person, it is hands down the best part of being me.

The entire interview can be read here.

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The Onion, a satire news publication, and its sports division, the Onion Sports Network, just published an article: “164 Closeted Gay Men Having Impressive NFL Preseason.”

Like most of the work by The Onion, the delivery in the piece is spot-on and hilarious.  The article reads just like any other preseason NFL report, except the players fighting for roster sports are referenced directly by their on-field performances, and are gay, yet remain anonymous.  The article highlights something we all know (or should know): there are gay players in the NFL and probably on every team.  And it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Some excerpts:

RUTHERFORD, NJ—As the first round of preseason games drew to a close Monday, NFL sources reported that the league’s 164 closeted gay players were turning in excellent performances across the board as they battled for roster positions on the league’s 32 teams.

“It’s still early, but so far so good,” said one Giants lineman, who told reporters he was pleased with his team’s 31-16 victory over the Jets and who, like every gay player in the NFL, is not out to his teammates and asked not to be named. “I feel good physically and I’m playing well, so I should be able to survive at least the first roster cut if I stay healthy.”

…

“I’m extremely proud of the way [my closeted gay players] performed against the Chargers last weekend,” Chicago head coach Lovie Smith said when asked about several players on his roster whose sexual orientation he was unaware of. “I feel that [certain gay offensive players] are going to be a big component of our ground game and [various gay members of the defense] will continue to contribute in all aspects, although the pass rush is naturally a concern, as always.”

“So, why did you ask about those guys in particular?” Smith added.

…

“Not everyone can compete at this level,” said a three-time Pro Bowl linebacker and homosexual. “There’s no shame in it. It’s just a fact of life. But for a lot of gay players, it’s one of the hardest things to admit to yourself.”

However, hopes remain high. If there’s one thing aside from their carefully hidden sexual orientation that unites these athletes, it’s their positive attitude.

“I’m definitely going to make the NFL. There’s no doubt in my mind,” said a gay former college standout who has struggled with the transition to the pros and been cut for three consecutive years. “I’m going to make it onto the Cowboys this year. I haven’t been this sure of anything since I was 17. Mark my words: I’m going to be playing out there right alongside those straight guys, just like all the other gay players people don’t realize they’re cheering for every week.”

(I bolded that last part, because it’s my favorite line in the entire article.)

(Read more here.)

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29 new photos added to this album on Facebook from game play today at the 2010 Gay Softball World Series at Berliner Park in Columbus, Ohio.  Samples below (click the pics to go to the photo album).

I also took some videos, so I’ll have to find a way to compile them into some sort of highlight reel to put on Youtube.

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