MLB umpire Joe West was awarded $500,000 in damages plus interest from a defamation lawsuit he filed in July against former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca.
Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported New York Supreme Court Justice John J. Kelley ruled in favor of West on Monday, saying Lo Duca harmed the umpire's reputation and Baseball Hall of Fame chances when he told a story on a podcast that contained false information about past in-game interactions West:
"The court credits the plaintiff's testimony that one's integrity and character are primary measures that are applied to the assessment of an umpire's or player's quality and, thus, the consideration that he will be given for election to, and induction into, the Hall of Fame.