Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball (Hardcover)

~ Dave Pallone (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After eight years in the minors, Pallone became a National League umpire during the arbiters' strike in 1979; as a "scab," he had to contend with the ill will of his colleagues, few of whom relented during his 10 years in the majors. But he had an even more pressing problem: a homosexual, he dreaded public exposure. Yet when his lover was killed in an auto crash, he began frequenting gay bars and associating with other gay men, which caused rumors about his sexual orientation to circulate in baseball. A showdown came when his name was tangentially linked to those of acquaintances involved in a scandal concerning teenage boys; at the end of the 1988 season he was asked to resign. Writing with freelancer Steinberg, Pallone seemingly holds nothing back, giving readers the most candid and riveting sports autobiography since Navratilova's Martina.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Pallone's "double life"--a gay working as an umpire in the macho world of professional baseball--led to his release in 1988 by the National League, which claimed he had exhibited "unprofessional behavior." Pallone talks honestly about his controversial career, including his confrontation with Pete Rose during a 1988 Mets game, which cost Rose a 30-day suspension and a $10,000 fine; unfortunately, it cost Pallone his job. Pallone provides interesting comments about calling the pitches of such great pitchers as Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan and theories on different aspects of the game, as well as revealing anecdotes about his gay love life. The book captures Pallone's torment: he wanted to admit his homosexuality publicly, but feared the consequences because of baseball's ingrained homophobia. Recommended for public libraries.
- Ron Chepesiuk, Winthrop Coll., Rock Hill, S.C.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 392 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First Edition edition (July 3, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670833126
• ISBN-13: 978-0670833122
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,728,114 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars candid, gutsy account of a very difficult career, December 20, 2000

By	J. K. Kelley "literary mercenary" (Eastern WA, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball (Signet) (Paperback)

It's really hard to rate _Behind the Mask_ without dividing it into two categories: as a book about gay life, and as a baseball book. I found it interesting and valuable in both areas.

Pallone, it must be remembered, came of age in the seventies, when the idea of being 'out' was difficult for anyone--much less a professional sports official. His story has the ring of truth and honesty, and would in particular be a good read for young people wrestling with sexual identity issues: it does not contain explicit sex scenes. Probably PG-13. Of special value is Pallone's own self-analysis; he has come to understand why he handled life the way he did, and the picture we see is of a man who has regrets about some things but is at peace.

With regard to baseball, we get a lot of closeups of Pallone's colleagues. Like anyone else, some good, some not so good; some competent, some not so competent. The degree to which umpires will engage a vindictive streak to the detriment of the game truly stunned me, and I'm generally a defender of the officials. The politics and union/management wangling that go into deciding just who gets to be a big league umpire are laid bare. Pallone contends that he was fired for being gay, and I don't think he necessarily makes the case for this very well; while I wouldn't put it past the league owners, it's also possible that he was fired for being controversial, and that his revelation of his sexuality was simply the one more bit of awkward press that baseball didn't want. Either way, it took a lot of courage for him to pursue his career in the face of a lot of adversity, and I'd proudly shake his hand.

A good read from either standpoint.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, inspirational, and Touching, August 11, 1999

By	Tom Adams (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball (Signet) (Paperback)

This book should be on the shelf of every gay person in America who is in doubt of his or her sexuality. For you baseball fans, there is the inside story of the famed "Pete Rose" incident, but you don't have to be a baseball fan, or gay to enjoy this well written book. It's out of print, but well worth the time and effort to hunt it down or check it out of your local library.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest and Insightful, April 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball (Signet) (Paperback)

A well-written, honest, insightful book. Dave Pallone should be congratulated on his work, both as a professional in the baseball world and as a first time author. In the same "boat" as Dave Kopay, Pallone rises above and allows the reader to feel and to be ok with being who you are.