Former MLB Umpire Speaks on Baseball, Being Gay
 Dave Pallone, a former MLB umpire, continued his career has a writer, sportscaster and speaker. |
The 18-year veteran started off with some old clips of him on the diamond, including some chest bumping between Pallone and then manager of the Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose. Emphasizing respect for one another was Pallone's aim as he reminisced about his earlier life.
The Waltham native knew he loved baseball and wanted to be on "that diamond," when his father took him to Fenway Park at the tender age of 11. It was an old-fashioned American father-son story that melted the quiet listeners as they heard about their special moments together.
But as he grew older, he said he became boxed by society because of his sexual orientation. He knew if he wanted to achieve his dream, he'd have to live a lie — and did so for 35 years.
He began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1971. His dream took off in 1979 at Three Rivers Stadium, where Pallone became the third youngest umpire ever in Major League Baseball history. Despite his accomplishments and success, the lies became wearing.
"I had to be careful because lies build up," he said. "I had to be careful who I spoke to and where I hung out or else I could be seen the wrong person."
His list of achievements includes umpiring second base when Houston Astros pitcher Mike Scott pitched a 2-0 no-hitter in a National League division playoff series on Sept. 25, 1986. He also umpired the 1987 National League Championship Series and the first night All-Star game in MLB history at Chicago's Comisky Park in 1983. Noted for his aggressive umpiring style, Pallone also witnessed record-breaking events any baseball fan would cherish: He was behind the plate for Nolan Ryan's 4,000 career strikeout on July 11, 1985, as well as the moment Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's most-hits record.
Even after getting hit in the groin by a Nolan Ryan fastball, Pallone stayed in the game to make the calls. "I wanted to witness Ryan get his 4,000 strikeout, and I was going to help him get it," he joked.
But he has also seen his fair share of tragedies. His partner, John, whom he met in 1979, died years later in a horrific car accident.
It was message in a letter from a fan - "Everything will be OK because you finally respect yourself" - that changed his life forever.
His life changed in 1988 when rumors about Pallone's sexual orientation surfaced and he was "outed" by a New York newspaper. He resigned from Major League Baseball: "They ripped my heart out and took my childhood dream away."
Nowadays, Pallone lives to spread his message and claims to have a, "gift of inner peace." Since publishing his autobiography "Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball" in the summer of 1990, Pallone has received love and letters from more than 450,000 fans and readers. It was clear this man is still respected by many as well as inspires many.
While answering questions, Pallone said, currently, there are three openly gay umpires working in the MLB. One person asked if baseball ever apologized for kicking him out of the league in 1988 to which Pallone grudgelike stated, "Baseball will never apologize for anything."
He finished his segment with the only two regrets he has: "One, tell people who I was earlier in life and two, wish I had introduced John to my father before either of them past away."
