Dave Pallone
Encyclopedia
David Michael Pallone is a former Major League Baseball
umpire
who worked in the National League
from to . During Pallone's career, he wore uniform number 26.
for the season. He spent half a season there before again being promoted on June 27 to the Eastern League. He umpired in the EL through the season, when he was brought up to the International League
. Pallone spent the season in both the International and Eastern Leagues before being called up for good to the IL in . He stayed in the league until , when he was one of eight umpires hired during the 1979 Major League Baseball umpire strike.
Pallone remained in the NL for ten years, and umpired in the 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
and the 1987 National League Championship Series
. He was the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan
's 4,000th strikeout
on July 11, , and on September 25, he was the second base umpire when Mike Scott
of the Houston Astros
pitched a 2-0 no-hitter
against the San Francisco Giants
to clinch the NL West Division championship.
manager Pete Rose
. Pallone was umpiring at first base in the ninth inning when he called New York Mets
outfielder Mookie Wilson
safe on a delayed call, with the delay giving Howard Johnson the time to score the eventual game-winning run. Rose immediately rushed to Pallone to argue both the call and how slowly it was made. With both tempers boiling over, Pallone was mocking Rose's gestures by pointing his finger at Rose, which lead Rose to (later) accuse Pallone of poking him in the face. Rose then shoved Pallone, causing Rose's immediate ejection, and proceeded to shove him again. Pallone denied touching Rose and Major League Baseball never determined that he did in fact touch Rose. However, the incident led to fans throwing garbage on the field, temporarily stopping the game and causing Pallone to be taken out of the game to ease tensions. The incident also resulted in Rose being suspended for 30 days with a $10,000 fine as well.
In September of that year, Pallone resigned amid rumors of his alleged involvement in a Saratoga Springs, New York
teenage male sex ring; he was questioned by local authorities, but was cleared of any involvement. He was "outed" in a New York Post
article later in the year. Pallone later wrote a book, Behind the Mask, about his experiences as a gay
man working in baseball
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
who worked in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
from to . During Pallone's career, he wore uniform number 26.
Umpiring career
Pallone umpired his first game at the age of 19 in the New York-Penn League in May . He remained in the league for the season before being promoted to the Carolina LeagueCarolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
for the season. He spent half a season there before again being promoted on June 27 to the Eastern League. He umpired in the EL through the season, when he was brought up to the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. Pallone spent the season in both the International and Eastern Leagues before being called up for good to the IL in . He stayed in the league until , when he was one of eight umpires hired during the 1979 Major League Baseball umpire strike.
Pallone remained in the NL for ten years, and umpired in the 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 54th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 6, 1983, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the...
and the 1987 National League Championship Series
1987 National League Championship Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 6, 1987 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Giants struck first on an RBI groundout by Candy Maldonado, but the Cardinals tied it in the third on Vince Coleman's RBI single...
. He was the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
's 4,000th strikeout
3000 strikeout club
In Major League Baseball , the 3,000 strikeout club is a term applied to the group of pitchers who have struck out 3,000 or more batters in their careers. Walter Johnson was the first to reach 3,000, doing so in 1923, and was the only pitcher at this milestone for 50 years until Bob Gibson recorded...
on July 11, , and on September 25, he was the second base umpire when Mike Scott
Mike Scott (baseball)
Michael Warren "Mike" Scott is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets and the Houston Astros. He won the National League Cy Young Award in...
of the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
pitched a 2-0 no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
to clinch the NL West Division championship.
Controversy
On April 30, , Pallone was involved in a highly controversial confrontation with Cincinnati Reds1988 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 1988 season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League West. Led by manager Pete Rose, the Reds had a record of 87 wins and 74 losses, finishing seven games back of the eventual world champion Los Angeles Dodgers...
manager Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
. Pallone was umpiring at first base in the ninth inning when he called New York Mets
1988 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1988 season was the 27th regular season for the Mets. They went 100-60 and finished 1st in the NL East. They were managed by Davey Johnson. They played home games at Shea Stadium.-Offseason:...
outfielder Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
safe on a delayed call, with the delay giving Howard Johnson the time to score the eventual game-winning run. Rose immediately rushed to Pallone to argue both the call and how slowly it was made. With both tempers boiling over, Pallone was mocking Rose's gestures by pointing his finger at Rose, which lead Rose to (later) accuse Pallone of poking him in the face. Rose then shoved Pallone, causing Rose's immediate ejection, and proceeded to shove him again. Pallone denied touching Rose and Major League Baseball never determined that he did in fact touch Rose. However, the incident led to fans throwing garbage on the field, temporarily stopping the game and causing Pallone to be taken out of the game to ease tensions. The incident also resulted in Rose being suspended for 30 days with a $10,000 fine as well.
In September of that year, Pallone resigned amid rumors of his alleged involvement in a Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
teenage male sex ring; he was questioned by local authorities, but was cleared of any involvement. He was "outed" in a New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
article later in the year. Pallone later wrote a book, Behind the Mask, about his experiences as a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man working in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.