WATCH: Kevin McClatchy Talks Pro Sports at GLAAD Awards

Kevin McClatchy accepts his award during the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Hilton San Francisco-Union Square on May 11, 2013. | Photo by John Medina/WireImage

This past weekend GLAAD hosted its Media Awards event in San Francisco, which honored SF Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom (former mayor of San Francisco who married lesbian and gay couples for a brief period) and pop star Adam Lambert.

GLAAD also presented Special Recognition Awards to Kevin McClatchy, former owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team who came out in a New York Times article last year (and was later profiled in Out, while also appearing at No. 30 in Out's Power List), and Brittney Griner, an out basketball player and this year's number one draft pick for the WNBA.

In McClatchy's speech, he thanks Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Greg Louganis, Billy Bean, Rick Welts, Rosie Jones. "I want to thank all the other athletes who helped a decision like mine a little easier to make." He went on to explain how Jason Collins's coming out. "I do challenge every sport, from the comissioner level down, in the NBA, NFL, NHL, and Major League Baseball to, when these players come out, to give 'em a soft landing, help them feel accepted, make them [feel] loved," he said. "Every high school kid, every kid in college who thinks he can't be gay and be an athlete, that's going to start going away."

Watch the full speech below:

Watch Adam Lambert's speech below: