Billy Beane
Outfielder, Minnesota Twins
1987 Topps #114
Topps Fact: Billy's sister, Chris, was member of Cal.-San Diego's 1981-82 Division III Volleyball Championship Team.
GMT Fact: Billy actually saw Chris' inability to "get to second base" a positive when evaluating siblings. They challenged each other to see who could screw more baseball players. Billy won when he became Oakland's GM.
Billy Bean
Outfielder, Detroit Tigers
1988 Topps #267
Topps Fact: Billy signed as a 4th round draft selection with the Detroit Tigers, June 12, 1986 by Scout Rick Arnold.
GMT Fact: Questions immediately surfaced regarding Arnold's sexuality. The Topps card only listed Bean as having hit from the left side.
Bill BenePitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
1989 Topps #84
Topps Fact: Primarily a basketball player in high school, Bill was originally an outfielder.
GMT Fact: After Bean released "Going the Other Way: Lessons from a life in and out of Major League Baseball," Bene was mistakenly called upon quite often to appear on the talk show circuit. Despite reiterating each time that his name was pronounced "Ben-ay," the calls persisted and he decided to embark on a nationwide "Not a gay? Drop the 'A'" speaking tour.
Bonus GMT Fact: The '89 Topps card lists Bene as having a 10-7 record and 5.62 ERA during his collegiate career. Yet, the Dodgers chose to expend a 1st round draft pick on him. He never made it to the Bigs. Dodger Blues lists Robin Ventura, Jim Abbott, Tino Martinez, Royce Clayton, Jim Edmonds, Alex Fernandez, Charles Nagy, Marquis Grissom and Luis Gonzalez as having been drafted after him.
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