APPLICATION » walkout at the start of the 1984 playoffs and a brief interr

PHILADELPHIA -- Richie Phillips, a tough-talking Philly lawyer who became a negotiator for Major League Baseball umpires and NBA referees, has died. He was 72. Phillips death was reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, which said he died Friday of cardiac arrest at his second home in Cape May, N.J. His death was confirmed by the DAnjolell Memorial Home in Broomall, where a viewing is scheduled Thursday. "We got so much because of Richie -- pensions, vacations, better salaries," former umpire and board member Don Denkinger told The Associated Press by telephone on Tuesday. Phillips represented NBA referees in the 1970s and 80s and led MLB umps from 1978 until 1999, when a failed tactic of mass resignations cost 22 umpires their jobs. The setback prompted umpires to abandon Phillips Major League Umpires Association and form a new union, the World Umpires Association. Phillips liked to tell the story of how, at age 13 while growing up in the Philadelphia area, he led a strike of altar boys at his parish over a dispute about their tips. In years to come, his work stoppages involved a lot more money. Under Phillips, big league umpires held a seven-week strike in 1979, another walkout at the start of the 1984 playoffs and a brief interruption on opening day in 1991. There were other work stoppages, too. "He had his feet on the ground and knew what he wanted," Denkinger said. "Hed keep talking until 6 a.m. if thats what it took." A little more than that, sometimes. "Every once in a while, hed stage a breakdown. Throw something through a wall or something to get attention," Denkinger said. "But he wanted baseball to know that we were important, that we were valuable and worth it." When Phillips became the umpires negotiator in 1978, rookie umpires made $17,500. By 2000, they earned at least $95,000. Denkinger, who started as an umpire in 1969 and retired in 1998, credited Phillips with getting umpires their first pensions and vacations. Phillips often came across as loud and brash. Many umpires praised him over the years, saying his personality was what it took to deal with MLB hierarchy. But Phillips reign came to a sudden end in 1999. Trying to press his negotiating points, he convinced umpires to turn in their resignations all at once, hoping to force MLB into a corner. Many of the umps followed Phillips advice. Instead, MLB accepted 22 of them and minor league umpires took their place in early September on a permanent basis. By the end of the year, Phillips also was out of a job. "Richie would always tell the guys to stick together and wed get things hammered out, and thats what they did," Denkinger said. "When it all came apart in 1999, he didnt have everybody, he didnt have 100 per cent." Umpire Brian Gorman, the crew chief at Yankee Stadium for Tuesday nights game between Cleveland and New York, said Phillips won a lot of benefits for the umpires. "Sadly, hell probably be remembered for the resignation strategy," Gorman said. "Its too bad, because he did a lot for us. A lot of the things he did for us 20 years ago are still helping us now." Phillips graduated from law school at Villanova and later worked in the Philadelphia public defenders office and the district attorneys office. He also worked with trade unions in the city. Jordan 1 Pinnacle Brown . 9. Price, heading to the 2014 Olympics for Canada, was named the First Star after posting wins in three starts with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage. Air Jordan 1 Sale . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. http://www.saleairjordan1.com/ . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Air Jordan 1 Wholesale . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Cheap Jordan Retro 1 For Sale . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. RIO DE JANEIRO -- At age 19, Lydia Ko is already No. 1 in the world, with 14 LPGA Tour titles and two major championships.Now she is setting her sights on Olympic gold.I think every tournament is very special, Ko said Monday during a news conference. But the Olympics was probably the biggest goal of mine this year.Firstly, to represent New Zealand and obviously to compete in it. If I end up holding a gold medal at the end of Saturday, and standing on the podium, I think it will be extra special. I dont know if I would ever take that medal off.Obviously it would bruise me a little bit if I was swinging with it, but I think every tournament is special in its own way. I would never want to take away the two majors I won, but I think thats going to be the same for the Olympics.The womens Olympic Golf Tournament begins Wednesday at the same venue where Justin Rose won the gold medal over Henrik Stenson to highlight a stirring final day at the mens competition.Ko was there, getting in some practice on the driving range, and even six holes while the mens competition was wrapping up. She couldnt see the conclusion, but Ko managed to make her way to the meddal ceremony and took a photo with Rose, Stenson and bronze medal winner Matt Kuchar.ddddddddddddopefully his vibes came off to me, Ko said of Rose. But its great. Last week, I think we all got to see some phenomenal golf, and I think that they have already changed a little bit in our game. So hopefully we can be a little bit more of a part in that this coming week. But its been great. And just to be in that fans perspective, being outside the ropes and seeing them play has been great.I think that we all are going to have a good time out there, and I think its great that us golfers can be amongst those amazing other athletes that are medalists. Thats the great thing about the Olympics. Sometimes in tournaments, we can get carried away about who came first in that event. But this week, it celebrates every single athlete. It especially celebrates all the medalists and shows how special a third place is.Ko will tee off in the last group Wednesday at 10:09 a.m. ET with Great Britains Charley Hull and Swedens Anna Nordqvist. ' ' '