European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 30, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Pam Postema settles � cell with John Watsn. Omaha royals manager. Female Umpire awaits favourable Call from majors patterns enters locker room at Rosenblatt stadium. By Robin finn new York times Hen Pam Postema dresses for work she changes her a Folchs in a Corner of a Concrete locker room shared by three male co workers. At Rosenblatt stadium in Omaha neb whore the class aaa Omaha royals Are about to face the Iowa cubs with Postema umpiring behind the plate her working conditions Are boiler than in mos1 of the other stadiums on Iho minor league circuit there is a Lually a door that separates the dressing room from the Shower and toil i in Many of the Oltimer stadiums mis tour person umpiring Crew strings up a Curlain to afford Postema her privacy As she transforms herself with oversized clothes and padding from a slender 31-year-old woman to organized baseball s Only female Umpire. The spartan facilities also create an inconvenience for he fellow umpires but they have gotten used to disrobing and showering in shifts. In All other phases of their Job. They say. Postema is treated without deference. She has become just one of the Crew they say. How the umpires in the major leagues who consider theirs an exclusive club would respond to Postema s invasion of their locker room routine remains a Mailer of speculation and worry to her co workers. I always wait until the last minute to Ponder things Ike Postema said. I m More worried about ust gelling there. Now that i be Marie it to triple a i s almost like none of this will mean anything unless i gel to the on Iho Fields of the minors however. Some of the bo/., of summer have objected to sharing in if Sanctum Vitti a woman typical arguments pvt i , and strikes Pia ors called Sile or Oul. Have Occi Sionil act Ewud an Andrji d dimension As the red faced d Sputanik make Cha uni Jim Neil Iichi to Coati of is 1 first Kiriy argue Over the ply. And Tir they Latch Onlo the fact that i m a woman and they hit on that said Postema who has grown supremely confident of her command of the strike zone during a decade of crouching behind catchers. But in s nothing that you would t expect. If you re Black they key on thai if youve fal. They say you re Loo fat o see the play. And if they insult you personally and keep it up that constitutes abuse and you throw them earlier this season Toby Hanah manager of Oklahoma City said Postema was out of her league. She belongs in class he redacted the criticism noting that he had probably made a similar observation about other umpires. Moslema selected Ai Sorn mers s Umpire school As an abbreviating alternative to College after Drifting around for five years following High school. My family did t object because none of us really thought the whim would turn into a career she said. I heard his was Lic Best so i figured i d belter go there she said. As she progressed through the minors she grew accomplished at Bolh umpiring and controlling her temper. You have to realize not everyone s going to like you being Here she said. I May have made the same mistakes As any other new Umpire but because i was a woman they remembered mine lately Postema has had fewer hindrances i used logo Loo Quick to react she said. I thought i had something to prove and Hal i had to eject anybody who said anything out of line. But by the Lime you make in to triple a everybody s More it is to become the consummate professional of her Trade a major league Umpire that Postema spends five months of the year living Oul of a suitcase in such locales As Omaha Des Toines and Buffalo. In Irio Maiors. Umpires earn a minimum of $40,000 a year pm Cip a pcs Vul a maximum of Aboul �100 000 in Oass aaa. Thaw s 3 tfi5 Daly stipend that i j Guppy cd to cover hotel and food Coli. And Page 16 the stars and stripes sunday. August 30, 1937
