Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke, the First Openly Gay MLB Player and Inventor of the High Five

Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling to reconcile their personal identity with a high pressure social or athletic environment. It is particularly powerful for young people who feel they must hide parts of themselves to succeed in traditional spaces. The story follows Glenn Burke, an incredibly talented Black athlete who invented the high five but faced systemic homophobia that ultimately pushed him out of Major League Baseball. Through Burke's journey, the book explores themes of justice, the weight of secrets, and the importance of living authentically. While the narrative addresses difficult realities like discrimination and the later stages of Glenn's life involving addiction and illness, it serves as an essential history of resilience. It offers parents a way to discuss how society treats pioneers and why finding a supportive community is vital for mental health. This is a sophisticated biography suited for middle and high schoolers ready to engage with the intersection of sports history and social justice.