Behind the mask book baseball umpires

David michael pallone born october 5, 1951 is an american former major league baseball umpire who worked in. According to the little league baseball official website, umpires should be volunteers there are numerous organizations that test or train anyone. Umpires stories from youth baseball paperback february 22, 2017. What made emmett ashford, major league baseballs first. An amateur umpire officiates nonprofessional or semiprofessional baseball. These helmets and facemasks are available at the lowest prices from trusted brands like. My double life in baseball dave pallone was one of the most hated umpires in the. Umpiring, like baseball itself, was enormously popular in the days following world war two. Taso beaumont baseball officials it has come to our attention that some schools continue to try and let their catchers wear the skull cap and mask combination when behind the plate during a game or in the bullpen while warming up pitchers. As the umpires say, the best place to hide a 100 dollar bill from a coach is to put it in a rule book. Behind the mask isnt bad baseball writing, though its doubtful that many readers are buying it for that reason.

Writer jon pessah profiles new york yankees icon yogi berra in latest book jon pessah, founding editor at espn the magazine, wrote yogi. National baseball hall of fame library by leslie heaphy. Bernice gera, center, makes a call at the jim finley umpire school in 1967. Exclusive no logo design for the most professional look. Umpires who do more than one type of baseball sometimes get a bit overwhelmed by the small. A gay umpire offers a candid inside view of professional baseball, discussing his. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Gallagher, who recently turned 80, had been umpiring for northwest ever since 1961, the year he played his last game as a catcher for augsburg college. After freehan retired, he published a widely acclaimed tellall book about catching called behind the mask which showed some insight not only in catching, but behind the scenes of major league baseball. Bette davis quoted in the preface to behind the mask. The abua protects its members with the most comprehensive insurance package in. Bill freehans laws by bill freehan baseball almanac. Behind the mask is one of the most maddening books ive ever read. Dave pallone was an umpire with two strikes against him.

The two kinds of masks are the traditional face mask or the hockey style helmet. By the book, yes it is a balk, but rarely enforced. Sweeping off the plate 40 years of playing baseball. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. A gay umpire offers a candid inside view of professional baseball, discussing his career and relating anecdotes about incidents on and off the field. Baseball umpires call games as they see em one call from an umpire can make or break a baseball game.

Baseball, we were taught, is a simple game made complicated by the existence of players and managers. Pallones double lifea gay working as an umpire in the macho world. The journey for many begins at the wendelstedt school in daytona beach. Following are questions asked by our readers concerning the rules of baseball and softball, as well as other aspects of umpiring. My double life in baseball, which became a new york times bestseller, and has been republished as an ebook. We all want to keep the game of baseball softball alive and well within our communities in southern minnesota. Pallone, a former baseball umpire who kept his sexuality a secret. Bruce weber spent time learning how to call balls and strikes for his book, as they see em. See all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions.

In baseball, the umpire, when not ignored, is typically vilifie. Writing with veteran sportbio collaborator steinberg born to referee, coauthored with jerry markbreit, 1988, etc. Working a perfect game upcoming get to know the men behind the masks through interviews with nearly every major league umpire, by prolific baseball editor and author, bill nowlin. Was promoted to the major league staff before the 2011 seasonworked the 2012 al division series detoak, the 2014 al division series detbal, the 2018 nlcs and was the third base umpire for the 2014 allstar game in minnesota. Walking around while your mask swings from the strap is another bad and sillylooking habit that some umpires have. This book shows how a sense of humor can keep this game fun. Weber, who is a reporter and former theater critic for the new york times, says that umpires had surmised that most bigname players were using steroids because they had become so. My double life in baseball and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. This is a book that even the casual baseball fan should enjoy.

This site is devoted to the development of umpires for softball and baseball. Umpire mask worn by emmett ashford, the first africanamerican umpire in major league baseball, from the collections of the national museum of african american history and culture gift of. Jon pessah profiles new york yankees icon yogi berra in. By 1949 some fiftynine minor leagues provided extensive onthejob training for an unprecedented number of aspiring arbiters, but it was the umpire training school that was responsible for postwar umpires being so much better prepared than their. My husband is a high school umpire and reads any book about umpiresumpiring. The abua is the largest membership association for amateur baseball umpires in the u. John gallante is micd up for an entire advanced umpire training clinic to teach how to properly manage ejections, coaches that argue and other difficult situations. The traditional mask is the more popular of the two because it has been around for longer and umpires are reluctant to switch to a different style. The secret lives of 8 baseball umpires mental floss.

You need your right hand to make calls, and switching hands is unnecessary and also doesnt look good. He worked ringed by fellow umpires aching to get even with him for landing his job when they were on strike. In it, pallone reveals that he had an affair with a. Making it to the show is a dream for baseball players and umpires alike. Michael schafer in baseball, the umpire is typically vilified, and yet he is as much a fan and an active participant as anyone else in the game. This article was originally published in the sabr book on umpires and umpiring sabr, 2017, edited by larry r. Baseballs robot umpires are here, and you might not. Eighteen years of controversy, hard work, triumphs and disappointments dave pallone had a remarkable career as a national league umpire. This memoir presents baseball from that point of view. Mask provided chest protector provided shin pads provided umpiring contact. To do so, we need to start recruiting and developing new umpires to add to the allotment we have now. My double life in baseball hardcover july 3, 1990 by dave pallone author 4. All portions of this particular page and the pages of the official major league rules book are sole property of major league baseball and have been reproduced without any alteration by baseball almanac who first obtained the written permission of the office of the commissioner.

Umpires must also have the following equipment when officiating behind the plate. Daves mission has always been, to share his philosophy of respecting yourself and others. My double life in baseball viking, which hit the book stores this week, pallone writes. See what a baseball umpire sees during a game as a west coast conference umpire wears a gopro during a championship game between pepperdine and loyola marymount. Most people go to umpire school because they love baseball. Pete rose and umpire dave pallone engaged in an unceremonious scuffle. At, we carry quality, durable helmets and facemasks to meet your fit and protection needs when umping behind the dish. Behind the mask behind the mask behind the mask behind the mask. Longer design madetofit longer lineup cards and all refsmart and book style game cards. Wallet notebook can be used as baseball or softball umpire lineup card holder, football or lacrosse game card holder or other use.

Popular today are masks with advanced lightweight metal frame technology e. Dont hold your mask by the strap, and always remove it with your left hand. Baseballs robot umpires are here, and you might not even notice the difference. The dean of northwest umpires association, larry gallagher, has announced his retirement after 59 seasons behind the plate. To provide this uniqueif controversiallook at major league baseball as umpires see it, lee gutkind spent the 1974 season traveling with the umpiring crew of doug harvey crew chief, nick colosi, harry wendelstedt, and art williams, the first black umpire in the national league. Yes, his 1990 tellall behind the mask is considered the ball four of major league umpire memoirs. Pallone became a national league umpire during the 1979 arbiters strike. He was a successful catcher with a lifetime batting average of.

Baseball law and those who uphold it the new york times. There are more options in umpire masks and hockey style helmets than ever before for baseball and fastpitch softball umpires working youth to the mlb level. Dave pallone celebrity sports motivational speaker. Pallone, it must be remembered, came of age in the seventies, when the idea of being out was difficult for anyonemuch less a professional sports official. That pallone is gay is the secret he pokerfaced behind his majorleague umpires mask for more than a decadeuntil fired by bart giamatti in 1988. In baseball, the umpire, when not ignored, is typically vilified, and yet he is as much a fan and an active participant as anyone else in the game. Umpire s stories from youth baseball schafer, michael on.

Pallone, a former baseball umpire who kept his sexuality a secret from his family and colleagues years, would have an interesting perspective into how it feels to be a gay man in the world of professional sports. We all want to keep the game of softball baseball alive and well within our communities in southern minnesota. They grew up rooting for their home team, cheering for their favorite players, maybe even collecting baseball cards. This is part of our summerlong behind the mask series following baseball and softball umpires, and the issues they face.

Many amateur umpires are paid typically on a pergame basis and thus might be considered professionals, while some amateur umpires are unpaid. Professional woman umpires society for american baseball. The first thing to decide is which style of mask is best for you. The abuas purpose is to improve the overall quality of umpiring in youth league, high school and college baseball through innovative teaching and educational programs, and superior educational resources. My double life in baseball and millions of other books. The man behind the mask for over 25 years, dave pallone has shared his stories, from his baseball career as a major league umpire, to his personal struggle of finding peace in his life, to thousands of people across the country. From 1963 until 1976, bill freehan played catcher for the detroit tigers.