Life

Former pro baseball player marries husband in stunning New Orleans ceremony

The outdoor ceremony included a march through the streets with parasols.
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T.J. House #61 of the Chicago White Sox pitches during the game against the Seattle Mariners on February 24, 2018 at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria Arizona.
T.J. House #61 of the Chicago White Sox pitches during the game against the Seattle Mariners on February 24, 2018 at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria Arizona. Photo: Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher T.J. House married his husband, Ryan Neitzel, in New Orleans. The athlete is one of only three out Major League Baseball players to come out as gay.

The outdoor ceremony was stunning in its simplicity and gorgeous arrangement.

Related:

White Sox celebrate as pro baseball player comes out in inspiring Instagram post

“I’m doing this cause I wanna be an inspiration for those like me out there [fighting] for their dreams,” Anderson Comas wrote in his coming out announcement.

House and Neitzel both posted photos of the big day on Instagram to share the moment with fans and friends.

“Marriage is one of the greatest opportunities to enter into a life of limitless possibilities,” Neitzel posted with his photo. “And, in moments of doubt or despair, you find comfort knowing that you are not alone – that there is someone who will always stand by you, no matter what.”

The sentiment is a quote from his friend, Daniel Broxmeyer.

“It’s that can’t eat, can’t sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, World Series kind of love,” House wrote with photos highlighting the couple, decorations, and the ceremony.

The quote is from the 1995 movie It Takes Two.

House, who played for Cleveland and the Blue Jays, came out as gay and announced his engagement to Neitzel in 2022. He cited the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) as the impetus for his public announcement.

“I’ve struggled my entire life with being comfortable in my own skin. I have purposefully distanced myself from people for the sake of trying to protect myself,” House posted on Facebook along with photos of the couple holding hands. “It’s disheartening how one simple thing can change an individual’s opinion of you in a matter of seconds. It has taken me years to wake up every morning and tell myself that you are loved for you, the one that’s deep down inside that you’ve never truly let out.”

“I’ve been loved my whole life for what I did as a career, and it carried me for the longest time. Eventually though, it’s a bandage that covers a wound that needs fresh air to heal. You have to rip it off at some point if you truly want to get better. Shame has kept me quiet all these years, but Love has finally set me free.”

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