WastinSomeTime
Well-Known Member
This shows what Romeo stated about it being a good ol' boys union.
On May 1, 1980, Bill Madlock, of the Pittsburgh Pirates, had an argument with umpire Jerry Crawford.[5] He was fined $5,000 and suspended for fifteen days, but he had not served his suspension nor paid his fine by June 3, because of appeals to both the National League president, and the Commissioner of Baseball. Because of that, Phillips threatened to have the umpires eject Madlock from games, if he did not serve his suspension.[5] That threat raised an uproar, with comments from the NL president, the vice-president of the umpires association, and the vice-president of the Pirates.[5]
In 1999, Phillips advocated a strategy of mass resignations. That strategy backfired, as Major League Baseball "called their bluff" and accepted the resignation of most who had submitted them, terminating their employment and promoting replacement umpires from the minor leagues.[2] Both Phillips, and twenty-two of his umpires were out of jobs.[6] The umpires, led by John Hirschbeck, later voted 57 to 35 to decertify the union, replacing it with the World Umpires Association led by Hirschbeck.[6]
On May 1, 1980, Bill Madlock, of the Pittsburgh Pirates, had an argument with umpire Jerry Crawford.[5] He was fined $5,000 and suspended for fifteen days, but he had not served his suspension nor paid his fine by June 3, because of appeals to both the National League president, and the Commissioner of Baseball. Because of that, Phillips threatened to have the umpires eject Madlock from games, if he did not serve his suspension.[5] That threat raised an uproar, with comments from the NL president, the vice-president of the umpires association, and the vice-president of the Pirates.[5]
In 1999, Phillips advocated a strategy of mass resignations. That strategy backfired, as Major League Baseball "called their bluff" and accepted the resignation of most who had submitted them, terminating their employment and promoting replacement umpires from the minor leagues.[2] Both Phillips, and twenty-two of his umpires were out of jobs.[6] The umpires, led by John Hirschbeck, later voted 57 to 35 to decertify the union, replacing it with the World Umpires Association led by Hirschbeck.[6]