Out of the Locker-Room Closet

By Jeninne Lee-St. John

Upon hearing that former NBA player John Amaechi disclosed in his new book that he is gay, Shaquille O'Neal said that if he had a gay teammate, he would "protect him from outsiders." That's a revolutionary reaction compared with the crass comments that greeted NFL player David Kopay in 1975, when he became the first athlete from the four major professional U.S. sports to reveal his homosexuality. Still, the British-bred Amaechi, right, notes that most locker rooms aren't exactly gay friendly. He says some current NBA players have told him they're gay but remain terrified of acknowledging it publicly. To date, only a handful of male pro athletes have come out--and all of them were retired at the time. We've got an update on their very diverse whereabouts.

David Kopay

While playing for the Washington Redskins, Kopay says, he had an ongoing affair with teammate Jerry Smith--who died of AIDS in 1986. The former heartthrob running back insists that being honest about his sexuality cost him NFL coaching jobs. He has been a buyer at Linoleum City in Hollywood for two decades.

Glenn Burke

Overt homophobia--including the Los Angeles Dodgers' alleged effort to push him into a sham marriage--made Burke, who some say created the high five, quit baseball in 1980. In '82 he became the first big leaguer to come out, but cocaine led to prison and homelessness. He died in 1995 from AIDS complications.

Roy Simmons

After coming out on The Phil Donahue Show in 1992, the former lineman nearly met the same fate as Burke. He turned to petty theft and prostitution to support his drug habit. But after getting a diagnosis of HIV, Simmons tackled drugs and was baptized, and he says he has been celibate and sober for several years.

Billy Bean

The former outfielder (not the general manager of the Oakland A's--that's Beane) hit the front pages when he came out in '99, and he has been an outspoken gay-rights activist ever since. He runs a real estate business in Miami Beach with his longtime partner. Showtime is developing a film based on Bean's autobiography.

Esera Tuaolo

The Samoan Hawaiian used football to escape the "banana ghetto." Singing the national anthem before a Green Bay Packers game inspired the music career he has pursued since he left the NFL in '99. Although he officially came out in 2002, he has been with his partner for a decade, and they have adopted twins.