Dave Pallone
From BR Bullpen
David Michael Pallone
- Height 6' 0"
- Born October 5, 1951 in Waltham, MA USA
- First Game Umpired April 6, 1979
- Last Game Umpired September 15, 1988
[edit] Biographical Information
Dave Pallone was a National League umpire from 1979 to 1988.
Pallone umpired his first game at the age of 19 in the New York-Penn League in May 1971. He remained in the league for the 1972 season before being promoted to the Carolina League for the 1973 season. Pallone spent half-a-season there before again being promoted on June 27, 1973 to the Eastern League. He would umpire in the EL through the 1975 season when he was brought up to the International League. Pallone spent 1976 season in both the International and Eastern Leagues before being called up for good to the IL in 1977. He would stay in the league until 1979 when he was one of eight umpires hired during the 1979 Major League Baseball Umpires' Strike. At 28 he was the third youngest umpire in Major League Baseball history.
Pallone would remain in the National League for nine years and umpire in one All-Star Game and one League Championship Series. He was the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan's 4,000th strikeout on July 11, 1985. In April 1988 Pallone was pushed by Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose, which resulted in Rose being suspended for 30 days. In September of that year he resigned amid rumours of his alleged involvement in an Northern New York teenage sex ring. He was "outed" in a New York Post article later in the year. Pallone would later write a book, Behind the Mask, about his experiences.
