Major League Basball Umpire Dale Scott Comes Out as Gay

Umpire opened up about his major decision

After 29 years in Major League Baseball, Dale Scott has come out of the closet.

The famous umpire shared the news with Referee magazine and posed for a photo shoot alongside his husband, Mike Rausch.

"My thought process was that there's a story about my career and how I got started in umpiring, and they're talking to people I have known since junior high, and it didn't seem right to have a whole story and pictures without a picture of Mike and I, someone who's been with me through this entire process," Scott, who is now the first active male to come out in MLB, explained to Outsports.

"I realized that it could open a Pandora's Box, but this is not a surprise to Major League Baseball, the people I work for. It's not a surprise to the umpire staff. Until Mike and I got married last November, he was my same-sex domestic partner and had his own MLB I.D. and was on my insurance policy."

Scott continued, "This is not going to be some huge flashing news to Park Avenue [Major League Baseball's headquarters], but I also didn't want to be making some coming-out story, some banner headline, because that's not how I operate. 

"It's not a shock to MLB management because they're well aware of my situation and it's not a shock to the umpire staff. If it would have been, I don't think I would have done it."

Scott concluded with thanking his colleagues for their support during his announcement.

"I am extremely grateful that Major League Baseball has always judged me on my work and nothing else and that's the way it should be."