Jason Collins Gives Matthew Shepard's Parents No. 98 Jersey

NBA player Jason Collins, who on Sunday became the first openly gay athlete to participate in a major American pro sport, has worn the number 98 the past two seasons for a very personal reason: To honor Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was viciously beaten to death in 1998

In a poignant Thursday night meeting, Collins presented Shepard's parents with a Brooklyn Nets number 98 jersey of their own.

See also: Fly Ball Catch + Outfield Ad = Trippy Optical Illusion

Collins began wearing the number 98 in 2012, keeping it as a member of the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards before joining the Nets. He chose the number before publicly coming out, which he did while an NBA free agent in April by penning a first-person article for Sports Illustrated. He made sports and LGBT history on Sunday when the Nets signed him to a 10-day contract, which could later be renewed or extended Read more...

More about Nba, Us World, and Sports



via Mashable http://ift.tt/1hr3rsq