Letter to the Editors of Sports Illustrated re: Phil Taylor column on Sandy Koufax reaction to NY Post claim that he is gay.
Editors,
I want to thank Phil Taylor for pointing out in the elephant in the living room in his column “Revealing Reaction”: the homophobic nature of the heated denials that arise when it is suggested that professional athletes are gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
When I saw Derrick Hall, speaking on behalf of Sandy Koufax, quoted as saying, “And most importantly, Sandy has a lot of friends who are hurt by this.”, all I could do was sigh. How are his friends (or anyone else) hurt by this, whether or not he is gay (which I am perfectly happy to take him at his word for)? The answer: only by their own homophobia.
Phil Taylor is right on when he says that Koufax only diminished himself by reacting this way. The fear and hatred that prevents gay, lesbian and bisexual atheletes from being themselves casts a shadow over the entire sporting world, and as a lifetime Dodgers fan, it makes me say to say that Sandy Koufax just lengthened it.
Regards,
Thomas Leavitt