David Kopay
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'''David Marquete "Dave" Kopay''', football running back who became the "first professional sport athlete to declare his homosexuality" when he came out as gay in 1975 | '''David Marquete "Dave" Kopay''', football running back who became the "first professional sport athlete to declare his homosexuality" when he came out as gay in 1975 | ||
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Dave Kopay was born 28 Jun 1942 in Chicago, Cook County, [[Illinois]], the second of four children to Anton Kopay and his wife Marguerite Hahn. Dave's elder brother was named Tony. Anton and Marguerite were strict Roman Catholics. Anton born about 1904/5 to Croatian parents grew up in Cherry, Illinois, the family name was originally Kopaytich. Anton had a hard childhood, his step-father made him drop out of school after sixth grade to work in the mines, and then took all the money he made away from him. When he was 18, Anton went into the Marines. In later life, Anton was mostly estranged from his siblings. Anton's mother born Frances Potick, is buried at St Mary's Cemetery in Chicago. Marguerite Hahn was the second of eight children and was nine years younger than Anton when they married when Anton was age 32, so about 1936/8. Marguerite's father was German and her mother was Irish. | Dave Kopay was born 28 Jun 1942 in Chicago, Cook County, [[Illinois]], the second of four children to Anton Kopay and his wife Marguerite Hahn. Dave's elder brother was named Tony. Anton and Marguerite were strict Roman Catholics. Anton born about 1904/5 to Croatian parents grew up in Cherry, Illinois, the family name was originally Kopaytich. Anton had a hard childhood, his step-father made him drop out of school after sixth grade to work in the mines, and then took all the money he made away from him. When he was 18, Anton went into the Marines. In later life, Anton was mostly estranged from his siblings. Anton's mother born Frances Potick, is buried at St Mary's Cemetery in Chicago. Marguerite Hahn was the second of eight children and was nine years younger than Anton when they married when Anton was age 32, so about 1936/8. Marguerite's father was German and her mother was Irish. | ||
| − | When David was in the fourth grade, the family moved to North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, [[California]]. He went to the University of Washington in 1961 where his older brother Tony was a member of the football team, and where he played as a running back. In 1963 he went with the Huskies to the Rose Bowl. | + | When David was in the fourth grade, the family moved to North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, [[California]]. He went to the University of Washington in 1961 where his older brother Tony was a member of the football team, and where he played as a running back. In 1963 he went with the Huskies to the Rose Bowl.</td></tr></table> |
David Kopay was first drafted by the San Francisco '49ers in 1964, that year becoming their leading rusher. He was traded to the Detroit Lions in 1968, then to the Washington Redskins in 1969, the New Orleans Saints in 1971 and finally to the Green Bay Packers in 1973. "Kopay ... retiring in 1972 after a productive nine-year pro career. His private affairs were known to few." He came out as gay in 1975 in an interview with ''Washington Star'' reporter Lynn Rosellini, three years after the end of his nine-year professional football career. | David Kopay was first drafted by the San Francisco '49ers in 1964, that year becoming their leading rusher. He was traded to the Detroit Lions in 1968, then to the Washington Redskins in 1969, the New Orleans Saints in 1971 and finally to the Green Bay Packers in 1973. "Kopay ... retiring in 1972 after a productive nine-year pro career. His private affairs were known to few." He came out as gay in 1975 in an interview with ''Washington Star'' reporter Lynn Rosellini, three years after the end of his nine-year professional football career. | ||
