Sports Breaking News

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Patrick Burke, founder of You Can Play, speaks to Blue Jays' minor leaguers on anti-gay slurs

By: The Associated Press

Friday, Mar. 15, 2013 at 4:58 PM | Comments: 0

DUNEDIN, Fla. - The founder of an organization that promotes equality among all athletes has talked to Toronto Blue Jays minor leaguers about the damaging effects of anti-gay slurs.

Patrick Burke founded You Can Play and spoke at the Blue Jays' camp on Friday. He is the son of former Toronto Maple Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke and the brother of the late Brendan Burke, who made headlines when he came out in November 2009 while serving as the manager of Miami of Ohio's hockey team. Brendan died a few months later in a car accident.

The visit came after former Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar was suspended for three games by the team late last season for wearing eye-black displaying an anti-gay slur written in Spanish. Escobar apologized and said it was meant as a joke.

Escobar was traded to the Miami Marlins last November, then traded to Tampa Bay less than three weeks later.

Patrick Burke posted on Twitter the Blue Jays' response to the visit was "that was perfect."

The Blue Jays' major league team played Friday against Detroit in Lakeland, Fla.

Rate this
This article has not yet been rated.

We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments

You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

There are no comments at the moment. Be the first to post a comment below.

Post Your Comment

The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.