NEW YORK — An umpire who sent a Yankees pitcher out of a rivalry game in disgrace. Another who tossed Aaron Boone after a disputed strike zone. A third whose confrontation with New York preceded a frightening injury on the field.
Those incidents unfolded years apart, in different ballparks, with different Yankees teams. The officials involved are now united by a dispute that has moved from baseball’s playing field to a federal courtroom.
Their shared history with New York includes four ejections of Aaron Boone or Joe Girardi and a pine tar investigation that produced a suspension. One of those games, at Progressive Field, also ended with an umpire in the hospital. Each episode generated headlines well beyond the final score.
The connection has taken on new significance after details emerged Thursday about a retirement-benefits fight involving five former MLB umpires who collectively worked more than 21,000 regular-season games.
Five familiar umpires challenge their pension calculations
Joe West, Tom Hallion, Gerry Davis, Larry Vanover and Jerry Layne filed a lawsuit Sept. 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Their claims became public news on Nov. 5. Attorney Paul B. Holmes said the five believe they are owed more than $2 million.
The complaint names MLB’s retirement plan for umpires and its retirement committee. The plaintiffs allege that their benefits were improperly calculated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
The dispute centers partly on actuarial increases for umpires who began collecting retirement payments after normal retirement age. West and Vanover received lump sums, while Davis, Hallion and Layne receive periodic payments. The five worked a combined 21,063 regular-season games across 179 seasons.
The umpires first questioned the calculations in 2021 and pursued internal appeals and settlement talks. Holmes has said other retired officials may have been affected, but the five are suing in their own names. Their union is not a plaintiff.
Gerry Davis: Pineda’s pine tar scandal at Fenway
On April 23, 2014, at Fenway Park, Boston manager John Farrell asked Davis to examine pine tar visible on Michael Pineda’s neck. Davis ejected the Yankees pitcher in the second inning of a 5-1 loss.
Pineda admitted using pine tar for grip in cold weather. MLB suspended him for 10 games, fueling debate over foreign substances.
Joe West: Boone ejected from across the diamond
On Sept. 21, 2019, West ejected Aaron Boone during the first inning of a 7-2 Yankees victory over Toronto at Yankee Stadium. Giancarlo Stanton had struck out looking against T.J. Zeuch, drawing complaints about several low pitches from the New York dugout.
West, stationed at third base, ejected Boone for shouting at plate umpire Jeremie Rehak. Rehak also ejected Yankees hitting coach Marcus Thames.
Tom Hallion: Boone erupts after an Orioles walk-off
Hallion’s clash with Boone came April 15, 2022, at Camden Yards. With the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman walked Ramón Urías to force in the winning run in Baltimore’s 2-1 victory.
Boone rushed from the dugout, initially moving to protect catcher Jose Trevino as he disputed the final pitch. The Yankees manager then followed Hallion off the field and was ejected after the game had ended. Chapman acknowledged losing the batter.
Larry Vanover: Replay fight and frightening injury
A disputed replay sequence led Vanover to eject Boone in the first inning of the Yankees’ April 12, 2023, game at Cleveland. Four innings later, the same umpire was struck on the side of his head by an 89-mph relay throw from Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez.
Vanover left the field and spent two nights at the Cleveland Clinic before his release. The Yankees won 4-3. Boone expressed concern for the injured umpire.
Jerry Layne: Girardi stunned by a strikeout ejection
Layne ejected Yankees manager Joe Girardi after the fifth inning of a 12-7 loss to the Mets on May 13, 2014, at Yankee Stadium. Girardi had complained about a called third strike against Kelly Johnson that stranded two runners with New York trying to close a large deficit.
Girardi said the ejection surprised him. In 2017, Layne was crew chief when a fan was removed from a Yankees-Rays game for shouting pitch locations. Plate umpire Dan Bellino initiated the removal.
West describes the exchange that preceded the lawsuit
West, who umpired an MLB-record 5,460 regular-season games, said he raised the payment issue with the retirement committee. He described a response from MLB senior vice president and chief employment counsel Steven Gonzalez that helped convince the officials to take their fight to court.
“If you don’t like the number, sue us.”
West also referred to his past success in the courtroom. He won $500,000 in damages in a defamation lawsuit involving former catcher Paul LoDuca in 2021.
“Does Steve Gonzalez not know my history with dealing with lawsuits?” West said.
MLB declined to comment on the pending case. The allegations have not been decided by a court.
Federal court sets December conference
West and Davis retired after the 2021 season, Hallion after 2022, and Layne and Vanover after 2024. The lawsuit seeks benefits the former umpires say they earned during those careers.
U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams has scheduled a pretrial conference for Dec. 11. No ruling on the disputed retirement calculations has been reported as of Nov. 6.
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