ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 6, 1990                   TAG: 9004060411
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

POSTEMA FILES SUIT

Pam Postema, whose bid to become the first woman umpire in the major leagues ended when she was let go as a minor-league umpire last winter, filed a federal sex discrimination claim in Los Angeles against the American and National leagues.

Postema, 36, had been an umpire in the minor leagues since 1977. She claims that as a result of being passed over for the third consecutive year for a major-league assignment, she was fired as a minor-league umpire after last season.

She alleges that the only reason she's been denied a chance in the majors is because she is a woman.

Rich Levin, a spokesman for major-league baseball, said Thursday night that officials of the two leagues had not seen the suit.

The claim of sex discrimination in employment, filed with the U.S. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission, also listed the Triple A Alliance of Professional Baseball Clubs and the Baseball Office for Umpire Development.

Postema, who has umpired major-league exhibition games, said in a statement,"I am devastated that I was not selected to umpire in the major leagues and I firmly believe that the only real reason that I was not chosen is because I am a woman.i

"I am filing this charge because I believe it is time for the major leagues to permit women to be umpires."i

Postema said in an affidavit that she had received verbal evaluations from umpire supervisors from the Baseball Office of Umpire Development indicating that her performance was "at least satisfactory." 


 by CNB