Richard G. Phillips was the former general counsel and executive director of the 52-member Major League Umpires Association, having held those positions from 1978 to 2000. He is most notable for recommending that the union baseball umpiresresign en masse effective September 2, 1999 to leverage enhanced benefits for union umpires. This decision ultimately turned out to be devastating to the umpires, as Major League Baseball accepted most of their resignations, terminating their employment and promoting replacement umpires from the minor leagues. The umpires later voted to decertify the union, replacing it with the World Umpires Association. He had also served in the same positions for the National Association of Basketball Referees. He was born in Philadelphia to a police officer. Phillips graduated from St. Thomas More High School and received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Villanova University in Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. While in college, he played varsity football and later returned to coach the freshman football eleven while attending law school. Phillips was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania in 1967. After getting his legal degree in 1966, Phillips worked for one and a half years in the Philadelphia Public Defender's Office. From there, he moved to the District Attorney's office as a trial assistant in the organized crime division, and on to the homicide division until around 1971. Phillips' law office was located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He represented the Transport Workers Union and handled legal matters for the top brass of the Carpenters Union. He also represented about 30 athletes, which he maintained did not present any conflict of interest with his duties relating to the officials. In 1994, Phillips became the majority owner of Pilot Freight Services, based in Lima, PA. At the time, Pilot Freight was struggling to stay afloat in a sea full of transportation providers. Phillips was able to lead the company to the top of the industry, and by the time he stepped away from day-to-day management of the company, Pilot Freight Services was the largest privately held freight forwarder in the United States. In 1964, he married Ellen Harrell. They had four children. He died of cardiac arrest at his home in Cape May, New Jersey, at age 72 on May 31, 2013.
