Major League Baseball honors Orlando shooting victims

WASHINGTON — Billy Bean spoke hopefully in Washington, the Oakland Athletics eschewed a traditional first pitch for a silent tribute and stadium flag poles featured the gay pride rainbow alongside the stars and stripes.

Major League Baseball on Tuesday honored the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting that left 49 dead.

Moments of silence and other ceremonies were held at stadiums across the country, including in Washington and Oakland, where LGBT pride nights had already been planned even before the shooting.

Bean, a gay former player and Major League Baseball’s first ambassador of inclusion, was at Nationals Park as Washington hosted its 12th annual Night OUT event during a nationally…