(MLB) Pete Rose & Dave Pallone, 1988

[ak482]

The infamous Pete Rose shove of Dave Pallone that earned Pete 30 days back in 1988.



The call comes from the Mets announcers, but the Reds announcers basically incite their fans to throw stuff on the field with constant reminders of how Pallone broke in as a "scab" (remember, he got his start during the Umps strike in 1979). Pallone had to leave after this play, and his days as a Major League umpire were numbered shortly thereafter.

As usual on a hot button post, ignore all the tough guy comments and make your own judgment on how this was handled.

[cj]

From day one, Pallone never belonged in the major leagues. He simply was never good enough. The umpires in the minor leagues who knew they were good enough wouldn't resort to scabbing. I have no sympathy for every one of these scabs; they got what they deserved.

[FredFan7]

The first umpire on the scene was John Kibler. Eric Gregg had the plate, Jim Quick at third.

[FredFan7]

The umpires that crossed the picket lines in 1979 were:

Dave Pallone
Fred Brocklander
Steve Fields
Lanny Harris

Derryl Cousins
John Schulock
Dallas Parks
Fred Spenn

Parks, Spenn, Harris, and Fields left the league by 1982, either because of performance or they were sick and tired of the ostracism showed them by their comrades.

Brocklander retired after his 13th knee operation in 1990
Pallone left the league in 1988 (under very ugly circumstances)
Schulock was made a crew chief and retired after 2002
Derryl Cousins is still active and the longest consecutive tenured umpire today (Joe West joined the league in 1978 but was not an umpire for the 2000 and 2001 seasons)

[cj]

It's interesting how AL umpires were always less militant than their NL counterparts; two of the scabs had fairly long careers in the AL while none of the NL guys ever had a chance (not that I'm saying they deserved one mind you, I hate scabs). Also, in an earlier era, wasn't Don Denkinger a scab also? And I also can't imagine the NL President getting away with firing two union guys like Joe Cronin did with Valentine and Salerno.....if Giles had ever pulled anything like that, they would have all walked out.

Interesting how long it took for Pallone's crew to come to his aide to defuse the situation...also I believe that after the game, Kibler, the crew chief, said he had told Pallone to stay and that Pallone had left of his own accord.

Baseball did not go with scabs again although the other time a "strike" was threatened, it was the umpires themselves who apparently agreed to all submit resignations but at the urging of several AL umpires (naturally), they backed off and left the NL umpires out to dry.

[FredFan7]

AL umpires were burned many years before in regards lobbying for better benefits. Ernie Stewart was fired in the 1940s, and another 20 year vet, whose name escapes me, was retired in 1965ish, then Salerno and Valentine were fired in 1968. AL brass always ruled with an iron hand and a couple of firings every decade or so if someone says, "Hey, how about a raise?" seemed to keep the AL umps in line. The NL voted to "take in" the AL umpires after Salerno and Valentine were fired.

Jake O'Donnel and Bill Kunkel were called up in 1968 to replace Salerno and Valentine.

Denkinger and Luciano came up in 1969.

Hank Morgenweck crossed the picket lines to call one game in the 1971 NLCS, and was hired full-time in the AL in 1972, and was an umpire for four years.

[cj]

It was Ed Hurley, I believe, you were thinking about who was fired summarily for what he claimed was age discrimination (see Dreith, Ben) when he reached what was the mandatory retirement age in the AL which I think was 55...

[nyasablue]

May 1, 2011 23:44:23 GMT -5 FredFan7 said:

AL umpires were burned many years before in regards lobbying for better benefits. Ernie Stewart was fired in the 1940s, and another 20 year vet, whose name escapes me, was retired in 1965ish, then Salerno and Valentine were fired in 1968. AL brass always ruled with an iron hand and a couple of firings every decade or so if someone says, "Hey, how about a raise?" seemed to keep the AL umps in line. The NL voted to "take in" the AL umpires after Salerno and Valentine were fired.

Jake O'Donnel and Bill Kunkel were called up in 1968 to replace Salerno and Valentine.

Denkinger and Luciano came up in 1969.

Hank Morgenweck crossed the picket lines to call one game in the 1971 NLCS, and was hired full-time in the AL in 1972, and was an umpire for four years.

Actually it was the 1970 LCS the job action took place - look at the boxscore for Game 1 of the ALCS:www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1970/B10030MIN1970.htm and for the NLCS: www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1970/B10030PIT1970.htm

Notice how the AL used what I am assuming were their veteran supervisors, while the NL used minor leaguers. According to Luciano, the thing got resolved because they were able to dupe MLB into thinking that the local Pittsburgh union technicians, concesson people, etc, were going to honor the umpire picket lines, and shut the NLCS game down. MLB then basically forced both leagues to recognize the Umpires Association, and settle. If not mistaken, this was the beginning of the downfall of Cronin as AL president also.