Steve Palermo
Encyclopedia
Stephen Michael Palermo (born October 9, 1949 in Worcester, Massachusetts
) is a former umpire
in Major League Baseball
who worked in the American League
from 1977 to 1991. His field career ended when he was shot in the back following his intervention in an altercation outside Campisi's
, a Dallas
Italian restaurant. He wore uniform number 14 when the American League began using uniform numbers for its umpires in 1980.
at Norwich University
, Leicester Junior College
and Worcester State College
before attending the Umpire Development Program in 1972. From the time he began his major league career after five years in the minor leagues
, Palermo was widely regarded as one of the best umpires in the game.
, three American League Championship Series
(1980
, 1982
, and 1989
), the 1981 American League Division Series
and the 1986 All-Star Game
. In August 1991, The Sporting News
ranked Palermo "Number 1" among American League umpires for overall performance.
Palermo was one of the first American League umpires to never use the outside chest protector. Starting in 1977, all new AL umpires had to adopt the inside chest protector, which had been used in the National League for decades under the guidance of Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem
. AL umpires on staff prior to 1977 were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector.
His career highlights also include umpiring two of the most famous games in New York Yankees
history. In 1978
, he worked the Yankees
' one-game playoff
against the Boston Red Sox
in Fenway Park
to determine the AL's Eastern Division winner. Palermo, serving as the third base umpire, signaled "fair ball" when Bucky Dent
hit the game-winning home run
. On July 4, 1983, Palermo worked behind the plate for Dave Righetti
's no-hitter
against the Red Sox
at Yankee Stadium.
Steve Palermo provided the umpire's voice in Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball
, a 1994
Super NES
baseball video game.
, were dining after a Texas Rangers
game when they were alerted that two waitresses were being mugged in the parking lot. In an attempt to apprehend the assailants, he suffered a bullet wound to his spinal cord
, resulting in instant paralysis
from the waist down. It seemed that Palermo's umpiring career might have ended as doctors told Palermo and his wife, Debbie, that he would probably never walk again. Through rehabilitation and a lot of determination, however, Palermo managed to recover, walking with the use of one small leg brace and a cane. He subsequently threw the ceremonial first pitch
in Game 1 of the 1991 World Series
, only three months after suffering his injury.
.
In 2003, Palermo began serving as the Honorary Chairman of Assurant Employee Benefits' WillReturn Council. The Council annually presents the Shining Star of Perseverance
Award to individuals who overcome disabilities. Palermo is also an honorary inductee into the Perseverance Hall of Fame.
Palermo served as honorary commissioner for the Tee Ball
game at the White House
on July 24, 2005, in which children with physical disabilities participated; the game was part of President
George W. Bush
's White House Tee Ball Initiative
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/tball/.
He currently serves as a major league supervisor of umpires, and also works as a motivational speaker. He was briefly an announcer for the New York Yankees
, working pre-game shows on the MSG Network
.
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
) is a former 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...
in Major League 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...
who worked in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
from 1977 to 1991. His field career ended when he was shot in the back following his intervention in an altercation outside Campisi's
Campisi's Egyptian Restaurant
Campisi's Restaurant is an Italian restaurant located in Dallas, TX, offering a self-described Roman cuisine.The facility was founded as Campisi's Egyptian Lounge in the mid-1940s by Joseph Campisi...
, a Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
Italian restaurant. He wore uniform number 14 when the American League began using uniform numbers for its umpires in 1980.
Education
He studied educationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
at Norwich University
Norwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...
, Leicester Junior College
Leicester, Massachusetts
Leicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,970 at the 2010 census.-History:Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714....
and Worcester State College
Worcester State College
Worcester State University is a public, four-year college founded in 1874 as Worcester Normal School in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. Although WSC traditionally has an emphasis on education, business, and biotechnology, the College offers Bachelors and Masters degrees in over 20 academic...
before attending the Umpire Development Program in 1972. From the time he began his major league career after five years in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, Palermo was widely regarded as one of the best umpires in the game.
Umpiring career
His career as an umpire includes the 1983 World Series1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
, three American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
(1980
1980 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1980 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriThe series opener saw the Yankees throw their ace, Ron Guidry, against the Royals' Larry Gura. In the top of the second, the Bronx Bombers jumped out to a 2–0 lead when Rick Cerone and Lou Piniella smacked back-to-back...
, 1982
1982 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1982 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, CaliforniaThe Angels jumped to a 1–0 lead in the first when Brian Downing scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Don Baylor. Milwaukee came back to take a 3–1 lead with a two-run homer by Gorman Thomas in the second and a run...
, and 1989
1989 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaThe A's went off as heavy favorites largely due to their status as defending American League champions. The Blue Jays had been in second place much of the year before catching and passing the Baltimore Orioles...
), the 1981 American League Division Series
1981 American League Division Series
-New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee Brewers:-Game 1, October 6:Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriMike Norris faced Dennis Leonard and the defending AL Champions in Game 1. Both pitchers were on their game and the game was scoreless through three innings. But in the top of the fourth, the A's got a...
and the 1986 All-Star Game
1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th 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 15, 1986 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the home of the...
. In August 1991, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
ranked Palermo "Number 1" among American League umpires for overall performance.
Palermo was one of the first American League umpires to never use the outside chest protector. Starting in 1977, all new AL umpires had to adopt the inside chest protector, which had been used in the National League for decades under the guidance of Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem
Bill Klem
William Joseph Klem, born William Joseph Klimm , known as the "father of baseball umpires", was a National League umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941...
. AL umpires on staff prior to 1977 were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector.
His career highlights also include umpiring two of the most famous games in New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
history. In 1978
1978 in baseball
-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...
, he worked the Yankees
1978 New York Yankees season
The 1978 New York Yankees season was the 76th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 100-63, finishing one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox to win their third American League East title. The two teams were tied after 162 games, leading to a one-game playoff, which the Yankees...
' one-game playoff
1978 American League East tie-breaker game
The 1978 American League East tie-breaker game was played between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on October 2, 1978....
against the Boston Red Sox
1978 Boston Red Sox season
The 1978 Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing second in the American League East with a record of 99 wins and 64 losses.- Offseason :...
in Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
to determine the AL's Eastern Division winner. Palermo, serving as the third base umpire, signaled "fair ball" when Bucky Dent
Bucky Dent
Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...
hit the game-winning home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. On July 4, 1983, Palermo worked behind the plate for Dave Righetti
Dave Righetti
David Allan Righetti is a former left-handed pitcher for various Major League Baseball teams, primarily the New York Yankees. He is currently the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the first player in history to both pitch a no-hitter and also lead the league in saves in his career...
's 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 Red Sox
1983 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing 6th in the American League East with a record of 78 wins and 84 losses.- Offseason :* November 1, 1982: Tony Pérez was released by the Red Sox....
at Yankee Stadium.
Steve Palermo provided the umpire's voice in Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball
Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball
Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball is a Super NES baseball game that was released in 1994. The game has a Major League Baseball license but not a Major League Baseball Players Association license, meaning that the game has real stadiums and real teams, but not real players...
, a 1994
1994 in video gaming
-Events:*Nintendo calls this year "1994: The Year of the Cartridge".*Nintendo Australia Pty. Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd is established and opened by Hiroshi Yamauchi and effectively ends Mattel Australia's distribution of Nintendo's products throughout Australia.*"Project...
Super NES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
baseball video game.
1991 shooting and recovery
On July 7, 1991, he and several friends, including fellow umpire Rich GarciaRich Garcia
Richard Raul Garcia is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1975 to 1999...
, were dining after a Texas Rangers
1991 Texas Rangers season
The 1991 Texas Rangers season involved the Rangers finishing third in the American League West with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.-Offseason:* December 12, 1990: Scott Coolbaugh was traded by the Rangers to the San Diego Padres for Mark Parent....
game when they were alerted that two waitresses were being mugged in the parking lot. In an attempt to apprehend the assailants, he suffered a bullet wound to his spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
, resulting in instant paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
from the waist down. It seemed that Palermo's umpiring career might have ended as doctors told Palermo and his wife, Debbie, that he would probably never walk again. Through rehabilitation and a lot of determination, however, Palermo managed to recover, walking with the use of one small leg brace and a cane. He subsequently threw the ceremonial first pitch
Ceremonial first pitch
The ceremonial first ball is a longstanding ritual of American baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game. Originally, the guest threw a ball from his/her place in the grandstand to the pitcher or catcher of the home team...
in Game 1 of the 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
, only three months after suffering his injury.
Later life
In 1994, he won the Arthur Ashe Courage AwardArthur Ashe Courage Award
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is an award that is part of the ESPY Awards. Although it is a sport-oriented award, it is not limited to sports-related people or actions.-List of recipients:-External links:***...
.
In 2003, Palermo began serving as the Honorary Chairman of Assurant Employee Benefits' WillReturn Council. The Council annually presents the Shining Star of Perseverance
Shining Star of Perseverance
The Shining Star of Perseverance is awarded annually by the WillReturn Council of Assurant Employee Benefits to honor and recognize individuals and groups who overcome disabilities to succeed in the workplace and society. Award honorees include:...
Award to individuals who overcome disabilities. Palermo is also an honorary inductee into the Perseverance Hall of Fame.
Palermo served as honorary commissioner for the Tee Ball
Tee Ball
Tee Ball or T-Ball is a sport based on baseball and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.- Description :In T-Ball, the...
game at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
on July 24, 2005, in which children with physical disabilities participated; the game was part of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's White House Tee Ball Initiative
White House Tee Ball Initiative
White House Tee Ball Initiative refers to efforts by President George W. Bush to promote baseball and softball by allowing youth Tee Ball events on the grounds of the White House in Washington, D.C.. The event was first held in 2001....
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/tball/.
He currently serves as a major league supervisor of umpires, and also works as a motivational speaker. He was briefly an announcer for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, working pre-game shows on the MSG Network
MSG Network
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
.