OutPlay

by Victor Zorn

FOOTBALL HERO

In 1975, Dave Kopay, the former NFL running back, became the first pro athlete to publicly discuss his homosexuality. Two years later, his autobiography recounted his struggle as an athlete who is also gay in a homophobic world. The Dave Kopay Story remains on the required-reading list. Still one of the few members of the out athlete fraternity, Kopay recently visited the Rice University campus to talk to students about his experiences. University administrators brought Kopay to Houston in April as penance for homophobic remarks that football coach Ken Hatfield made last fall to the media. Before he spoke, Kopay (center) posed with the Rice group: (l–r) Pride @ Rice faculty advisor Lynne Huffer, Uri McMillan, Tomi Fatunde, Max Starkenburg, Nancy Elliott, Kopay, Natalie Nardecchia, Matt Oertli, Hanna Garth, Eddie Leza, Matt Prater, Daniel Lenhoff, and Lauren Shockley. Photo by David Lewis.

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