Dave Pallone

American National League umpire for ten years. Now openly gay, he wrote a best-selling autobiography, "Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball," 1990. On 30 April 1988, Pallone was involved in a controversial incident during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Mets, during which Reds manager Pete Rose allegedly shoved him, leading to a fine and 30-day suspension for Rose. Pallone’s childhood dream was to work in the field of baseball, but he never imagined that living a "double life" as a closeted gay man would cause him such pain. During his 18 years as a professional umpire, he lived in constant fear of losing his job, and when, in September 1988, the New York Post alleged that he was part of a teenage sex ring, that fear became all too real. Amid rumors that he was homosexual and allegations that he couldn’t handle the pressure of his job, he decided to "come out of the closet." Despite having been named one of the top ten major league umpires in 1987, he was listed as the "third worst" after openly sharing his sexual orientation in 1988, and shortly thereafter, he was fired. Known for his courage and professionalism on the baseball field, he didn’t feel he could endure the protracted legal battle that a discrimination suit would necessitate, so he accepted a large settlement from the National League. Since that time, he has appeared on numerous news and talk shows including "Larry King Live" and "The Today Show" and hosted his own sports radio talk show in Boston, MA. On 11 October 1995, Pallone and tennis great Martina Navratilova made history when they had a candid conversation onstage at the University of Massachusetts, the first time that two prominent, openly gay sports figures appeared together. Pallone spends a significant amount of time working with corporations, universities and other organizations nationwide, helping to educate and enlighten people about the realities of sexual orientation. Link to Wikipedia biography