First Out Gay Male Athlete Plays Match

When Robbie Rogers took to the field Sunday, it was not only his first game for the Los Angeles Galaxy, but also the first time an openly gay athlete has played in American pro sports. “I guess this is a historic thing, but for me, it was just a soccer game,” Rogers told the Associated Press, although he did tweet after the game that “I won’t ever forget tonight!” The 26-year-old had retired in February after he made his sexual orientation public, but he announced his return on Friday. On Saturday, the Galaxy announced they had acquired him from Chicago, and he had been in training for several weeks. He entered Sunday’s game in the 77th minute as a substitute.