Pitcher Says Women Should Not Be Umpires

Houston Astros pitcher Bob Knepper got little support from his teammates Tuesday, after having said Monday that women should not be umpires because God created them to be feminine.

“As far as her ability for umpiring, she seems fine, but I don’t think a woman should be an umpire,” Knepper said. “There are some things that men shouldn’t do and some things that a woman shouldn’t do. I think umpiring is one of them.”

Knepper pitched five innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday with Pacific Coast League umpire Pam Postema behind the plate. She is being considered for a National League assignment, which would make her the first female umpire in the majors.

Knepper found nothing wrong with Postema’s work but questioned her right to be in the job.

“I have a belief that God has intended man and woman to be different,” he said. “It’s a physical thing. I don’t think women were created by God to be a physical, hard person. I think God created women to be feminine.

“In God’s society, woman was created in a role of submission to the husband.”

Knepper also said: “It’s not that woman is inferior, but I don’t believe women should be in a leadership role. I don’t think a woman should be the President of the United States or a governor or mayor or police chief.”

Knepper said, however, that if Postema made it to the big leagues, he’d have no problem with her on the field.

“I’m not going to give her a hard time because she’s a woman,” he said. “In fact, I’d probably treat her with more respect because she is a woman. I’m the type of person that puts women on a pedestal.

“But in my opinion, which I base on the Bible, I believe that God’s perspective is that women should not be in certain occupations. I’m not saying she’s going to go to hell because she chose to be an umpire. She has a free will, just as you and I do. If God is unhappy with her, some day she will have to talk to God about it.”

Postema refused to respond to Knepper’s comments, but Astro pitcher Charlie Kerfeld disagreed with Knepper.

“I think that’s just the male ego talking,” said Kerfeld, who also pitched while Postema was umpiring. “I thought she did a good job. She’s paid her dues (in the minor leagues), and she should get her chance too.”

Knepper also opposes female sportswriters coming into the Astros’ clubhouse. He turns down interviews when female writers are in the team’s locker room.

“Women sportswriters have to go into the locker rooms after games to talk to the players, and I don’t believe they belong in there,” Knepper said. “It’s not a matter of ability. It’s a matter of woman’s role.”

Said Astro Manager Hal Lanier: “I had heard several good things about her from people who had seen her in the minor leagues, and I was impressed.

“If she’s good enough, I don’t see any reason why she shouldn’t be hired. There’s a place in the National League for good umpires, period.”

Postema, 33, who has been an umpire in triple A for the past four seasons, is competing with seven other minor league umpires for two openings in the league’s staff of 28.

Astro General Manager Bill Wood said Knepper represented a minority opinion.

“Bob has freedom of speech to say what he wants to say, and we’re not going to stop him,” Wood said. “But out of 50 people, maybe one would have a different opinion.

“It’s a shame that the one opinion gets blown out of proportion.”

Relief pitcher Dave Smith said Knepper’s opinions wouldn’t affect his standing with his teammates.

“I disagree with him, but he’s still my teammate and my friend,” Smith said. “He just has to be ready to suffer the consequences. I really disagree with him about women shouldn’t be leaders. There have been women leaders and rightly so, throughout history.”