Working the Plate: The Eric Gregg Story

Gregg, the third black umpire to work in major league baseball, is often noted for his struggles to keep his weight down from a high of 361 pounds. With the assistance of Appel ( Joe DiMaggio ), he tells of his childhood in the grim West Philadelphia neighborhood appropriately called The Bottom, his years spent officiating in the minor leagues, from Florida to California, and his rise to employment in the National League. Gregg seems to have suffered more abuse for his avoirdupois than for his race, although before he got to the top his color did bring him problems. He and Appel offer entertaining anecdotes about Gregg's fellow umpires, the managers with whom he has had disagreements, the players he considers the best, the players who are his friends and those who aren't. There is sadness, too, in his account of his siblings--who did not escape the ghetto. Photos not seen by PW. (May)