Major League Umpires Association General Counsel Richie
Phillips' role as Chair of PA-based Pilot Air Freight Corp.
and an 11.66% stockholder in the company is examined by
Heath & Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. Pilot's clients
include GE, AT&T, Proctor & Gamble and the AL and NL, which
pay Pilot to transport umpires' gear. Heath & Maske: "How
can someone negotiate with baseball on behalf of umpires and
then head a company that earns money from doing business
with baseball?" Phillips and "several" MLB officials said
that "it doesn't bother them at all because the contract is
competitively bid." NL President Leonard Coleman: "I
checked with our lawyer on this issue and he says it's not a
conflict." Phillips estimated the MLB contract to be worth
less than $500,000 and said Pilot does not turn a profit on
the deal. Phillips and attorneys for the leagues "say they
are also comfortable with the situation because the
relationship with Pilot predates Phillips's involvement in
the company," which began in '94 (WASHINGTON POST, 6/24).
