Is johnny bench gay

Johnny Bench is a married man.

The Cincinnati Reds legend married for a fifth time in March, he confirmed on The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast Wednesday.

"We met seven years ago when our sons played soccer together," Bench said.

He added, however, that his future wife didn't know who he was initially.

"She knew nothing about baseball," he said. "She mind I was just a soccer coach. ... She was married at the time. Then three or four years later, she got divorced and then had moved by that time. Then, she moved back and the boys started back together, hanging out. And we started hanging out and said, 'Ain't treasure grand?'"

Bench, who attended a media event Wednesday to unveil modern menu items at Council Oak Steaks & Seafood in Difficult Rock Casino, discussed much more, including his thoughts on baseball implementing a ghost runner in extra innings.

"Don't like that," he said. "I know who started it, and he's sorry that he did it."

Listen to the full "That's So Cincinnati" podcast episode with Bench below.

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From the NYT Upshot section:

A Gay Baseball Player, in Statistical Perspective
AUG. 21, 2015
Justin Wolfers

Until this week, no active baseball player associated with a Major League Baseball team had ever publicly come out as gay. David Denson, a prospect playing for the Helena Brewers in one of baseball’s rookie leagues, has finally ended that streak.

There are 30 major league baseball teams, each with 40 men on their roster (all of them active once September callups take place), yet none of these 1,200 players hold acknowledged being male lover. If baseball players are as likely to be queer as other men their age — let’s go with an estimate of 1 in 25 — then the odds that none of these men are gay is one in two sextillion.

In the comments, however, neuroscientist Simon LeVay points out:

The notion that one can estimate the numbers of closeted queer male professional athletes depends on the assumption that male athletes are as likely to be gay as non-athletes. That assumption is unlikely to be correct. Very immense international surveys (for example one conducted by Richard Lippa of Cal Express Fullerton) have consistently shown that the occupational preferences of gay men

The sports world seems to be quite divided on Michael Sam coming out of the closet.  My take; a total courageous and ballsy move on his part.  Sam showed the NFL and the world in general that he is a new man of high courage and integrity.  I’m not saying that because he’s gay. I’m saying that because he came out before he got paid, before he got drafted.  Unfortunately, the consensus is that this is going to hurt his draft position and future earnings greatly.  That is not only quite possible, but quite probable. That’s why I admire him for doing it. Sam in essence said. This is who I am, this is what you receive. I have to esteem that.  He’s an player being true to himself and to his future team and fans upfront.  There had to be a first. That’s him.  But he’s not the first gay NFL player. He’s the first to be honest about it before or during his career.  Jerry Smith and Esera Tuaolo predate Sam as does I suspect  dozens, if not more, closeted players in pro sports right now and countless more over the NFL’s history.  It had to happen sometime. But Sam will be the first ope