A High Five for Glenn Burke

Silas provides a reasonably comprehensive biography of Glenn Burke interspersed throughout the novel. Burke (1952-1995) is famous for being both the first openly gay player in Major League Baseball and for being the inventor of the high five. The story of the high five is somewhat debatable. It may have been Burke and his teammate who first high fived, though the gesture can be seen in some earlier pieces of media like Breathless, a French film from 1960. After Burke came out as gay, no other MLB player followed his lead until Bill Bean came out in 1999, four years after Burke’s death. Though Burke’s life was far from easy, he is remembered as an important figure in both sports history and LGBTQ+ history.

The Sandlot, a 1993 American movie set in 1962, also forms the backdrop of the novel and is a major piece of baseball history. It centers on a group of fifth-grade boys who form an unofficial baseball team. Baseball helps them connect to each other and understand the value of friendship and teamwork. Although the film received middling reviews, it has become a cult classic. The Sandlot is the most important piece of media in Silas’s life, except perhaps YouTube coming out videos. He often quotes the movie during baseball games and practices, and he dresses up as the characters to amuse his teammates. His enthusiasm seems more intense than his teammates’, though all of them are familiar with the plot and characters.