American Labor Union Leader. From 1978 until 1999, he served as the head of the Major League Umpires Association. He will be best remembered for orchestrating the mass resignation of Major League Baseball umpires in 1999. This action led to the purging and ultimate end of many veteran umpire's careers. The son of a police officer, he received an athletic scholarship to play football at Villanova University and attained a law degree while attending there. Phillips landed a position as an attorney with the District Attorney's Office of Philadelphia under future US Senator Arlen Spector and went onto specialize in Labor Law. In 1978, he became head of Major League Baseball's umpire union and called for a one-day strike to prompt the league to recognize the organization's negotiation ability and in 1979 led an umpire's strike on the Opening Day of the Major League season. He would lead similar actions during the next 20 years. In 1999, in perhaps one of the most controversial labor maneuvers of sports history, Phillips called for a massive resignation of all umpires. The league acted upon this by accepting their resignations and re-hiring a small number of umpires back. Among the many umpires who lost their jobs included the popular 24-year veteran Eric Gregg. When a group of umpires who opposed Phillips formed their own union, his leadership ended. A brass figure whom earned the disdain of fans and eventually the umpires he represented, Phillips' methods, despite the extreme lengths that were taken, led to increased benefits and salaries. Additionally, from 1976 until 1984 he represented the National Association of Basketball Referees.
American Labor Union Leader. From 1978 until 1999, he served as the head of the Major League Umpires Association. He will be best remembered for orchestrating the mass resignation of Major League Baseball umpires in 1999. This action led to the purging and ultimate end of many veteran umpire's careers. The son of a police officer, he received an athletic scholarship to play football at Villanova University and attained a law degree while attending there. Phillips landed a position as an attorney with the District Attorney's Office of Philadelphia under future US Senator Arlen Spector and went onto specialize in Labor Law. In 1978, he became head of Major League Baseball's umpire union and called for a one-day strike to prompt the league to recognize the organization's negotiation ability and in 1979 led an umpire's strike on the Opening Day of the Major League season. He would lead similar actions during the next 20 years. In 1999, in perhaps one of the most controversial labor maneuvers of sports history, Phillips called for a massive resignation of all umpires. The league acted upon this by accepting their resignations and re-hiring a small number of umpires back. Among the many umpires who lost their jobs included the popular 24-year veteran Eric Gregg. When a group of umpires who opposed Phillips formed their own union, his leadership ended. A brass figure whom earned the disdain of fans and eventually the umpires he represented, Phillips' methods, despite the extreme lengths that were taken, led to increased benefits and salaries. Additionally, from 1976 until 1984 he represented the National Association of Basketball Referees.
Bio by: Find a Grave
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