David Michael Pallone (born October 5, 1951 in Waltham, MA) is a former Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1979 to 1988. During Dave's career, he wore uniform number 26.

Pallone umpired his first game at the age of 19 in the New York-Penn League in May 1971. He remained in the league for the 1972 season before being promoted to the Carolina League for the 1973 season. Dave spent half a season there before again being promoted on June 27, 1973 to the Eastern League.

He would umpire in the EL through the 1975 season when he was brought up to the International League. He spent the 1976 season in both the International and Eastern Leagues before being called up for good to the IL in 1977. He stayed in the league until 1979 when he was one of eight umpires hired during the Major League Baseball Umpires' Strike - crossing the picket line. At 28 he was the third-youngest umpire in Major League Baseball history.

Pallone remained in the National League for nine years and umpired in one All-Star Game and one League Championship Series. He was the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan's 4,000th strikeout on July 11, 1985. In April of 1988 Pallone was pushed by Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose, which resulted in Rose being suspended for 30 days. In September of that year he resigned amid rumors of his involvement in an Northern New York teenage sex ring. He was "outed" in a New York Post article later in the year. He later wrote a book, "Behind the Mask" (1990), about his experiences.

Pallone played an umpire in the 1985 movie "The Slugger's Wife" and has been active in the media discussing baseball and gay rights since leaving baseball.

(excerpted from Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen & Wikipedia)