Joe West, along with four other retired umpires, has initiated a lawsuit against their pension plan, claiming they are owed more than $2 million due to underpayment. The group includes Tom Hallion, Gerry Davis, Larry Vanover, and Jerry Layne, and they filed the suit in federal court in New York in late September.

The lawsuit targets the American Leagues and National Leagues of Professional Baseball Clubs Retirement Income Plan for Umpires and its retirement committee, alleging miscalculations in their benefits.

Key points include:

• The umpires assert they should receive additional compensation due to incorrect benefit calculations.
• Joe West, 74, retired from MLB umpiring in 2021 after officiating over 5,000 games, holding the record for 5,460 games overall.
• West is known for his colorful personality and has faced controversies throughout his career.
• In a previous legal victory, West secured over $500,000 in damages from a defamation suit against former MLB player Paul Lo Duca.

West mentioned his "history with lawsuits" when discussing the case, recalling a conversation with MLB senior vice president Steven Gonzalez, who suggested he sue if dissatisfied with an initial offer.

Davis also retired in 2021, while Hallion continued until 2022. Layne and Vanover retired after the 2024 season. The lawsuit was filed individually, without union involvement, according to their attorney Paul B. Holmes. A pretrial conference is set for December 11.