Bryan Rubyįrom the young woman in Switzerland to the German kids to the “lads” in the UK, “solid ballplayer” seemed to be the barometer of determining peer-to-peer acceptance on the ballfield, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Bryan Ruby found consistent support from teammates, many of whom had only met him and played with him briefly. Scrolling through the montage of memories from the adventure of a lifetime, one particular phrase kept coming back to me: Solid Ballplayer. When I asked about the previous two from years past, my teammates told me those guys were “solid ballplayers.”Īfter the games in London, I had a long flight heading back stateside to think about my time experiencing baseball around the world. The following weekend, I laced up my rainbow shoelaces and played a scorching-hot doubleheader for the London Mets against the Essex Arrows in Enfield, a suburb of London.Īt the pub after the game with my new Mets teammates, they told me confidently that I am now “the third gay lad” who has played for their team. It was a “homecoming” of sorts-an especially meaningful gesture given I played most of the 2019 season for the Eagles (though I was not out publicly at the time). The young manager of the Frankfurt Eagles, Dennis Seyerlin, then surprised me with a request to permanently hang a Proud To Be In Baseball banner at his team’s ballpark. As we finished, a larger group of local German ballplayers – from teens to 40s – gathered and peppered me with questions about coming out, our Proud To Be In Baseball nonprofit advocacy organization, and building the mental toughness (and physical toolset) to become a “solid ballplayer.” When I inquired with my Swiss teammates about her skill level, they reported rather nonchalantly that she is “a solid ballplayer.”Ī line drive hit hard by her over my head at third base during the game would prove just that.Ī few countries later, I found myself caked in dirt and sweat during an intense intrasquad scrimmage in Germany. I first played a doubleheader with the Hünenberg Unicorns (yes, that is a real team and no, it is not a gay-themed team).Īs the opposing team took pregame batting practice, I noticed a young woman lacing line drives all over the field. What I found overseas was an enthusiasm for learning the game, an “open to all” pragmatic approach that encourages girls and LGBTQ people to participate in our sport, and a heavy dose of competitive fire in an area unencumbered by the glitz and glamor of the American MLB spectacle. It was a great opportunity to share Proud To Be In Baseball’s inclusive mission and expand our network with interested parties in places not typically known as “baseball hotbeds.” Bryan Ruby represented Proud To Be In Baseball, here on a field in Hunenberg, Switzerland. I visited six countries on the voyage: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The conclusion of the 2022 season pushed me further out than I’ve ever been - literally and metaphorically. How often does one get the chance to play ball internationally and speak to dozens of international athletes? I needed a shock to my system to cure the burnout.Ī chance to venture overseas, plus play some games while promoting the Baseball Jobs Overseas organization (a group working to grow baseball around the world), provided just the jolt I needed. In a season split between games and advocacy work, exhaustion caught up to me. The dog days of summer coupled with constant travel (52,229 miles during the season) slowed me down considerably. I started writing this op-ed almost four months ago. That is precisely what happened on my end-of-season road trip. Sometimes you have to venture far away to reignite passion and discover a renewed purpose. Bryan is also a co-founder of Proud To Be In Baseball, an advocacy and support group focused on elevating LGBTQ inclusion in the sport. This article is part of a series of op-eds that out professional baseball player Bryan Ruby is sharing with Outsports readers.
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