On a night that has become an annual celebration of inclusivity at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox did something more than throw a party for Pride Night. They reached back into their own history — and into a moment that helped change the conversation around LGBTQ+ visibility in American sports.
On Tuesday, before Boston faced the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox brought out Jarron Collins to throw the ceremonial first pitch. He wore the exact same jersey his twin brother, Jason, wore back in 2013 when the team held its first-ever Pride Night. Jason Collins, the former NBA center who came out as gay that year — becoming the first active male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro leagues to do so — died last month after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
An Emotional Throwback to 2013
The imagery was impossible to miss. Jarron, who also played 11 seasons in the NBA, stood on the mound in a Red Sox jersey with the same number and nameplate his brother wore when he made history a decade ago. The moment was quickly shared online by the NBA’s official account, and fans in the stands and on social media noted how powerfully it connected two chapters of the Collins family story.
In 2013, Jason Collins was the one on that mound. Then an active NBA player — he had just finished a season split between the Celtics and the Wizards — he threw out the first pitch as an openly gay athlete, sending a signal that extended far beyond baseball or basketball. The Red Sox were marking their first Pride Night, and Collins’ presence gave it a national spotlight.
Tuesday wasn’t about recapturing that moment. It was about honoring what came after — and who Jason Collins became in the years that followed.
Jason Collins’ Final Fight
Last September, the Collins family announced that Jason was undergoing treatment for brain cancer. By 2025, he had revealed that the diagnosis was stage 4 glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of the disease. But in true competitive fashion, he refused to treat the illness as an ending.
In an essay for ESPN, Collins wrote, “As an athlete, you learn not to panic in moments like this. These are the cards I’ve been dealt. To me, it’s like, ‘Shut up and go play against Shaq.’ You want the challenge? This is the challenge.” He went on to note that facing prime Shaquille O’Neal was the biggest challenge basketball ever gave him — but he had already done that. This was just the next one.
Collins played 13 seasons in the NBA, suiting up for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, and finally the Celtics during the 2012–13 season before being traded midyear. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game across his career — numbers that tell the story of a role player, but one whose impact on the culture of the sport was immeasurable.
His twin brother Jarron also carved out an 11-year NBA career, playing for four teams. On Tuesday, he wasn’t just standing in for his brother. He was standing with him.
Leave a Comment