Leigh Castergine, a former baseball team NY Mets official, has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the front office and co-owner Jeff Wilpon, son of principal owner Fred Wilpon, accusing Wilpon of firing her because she wanted to have a baby out of wedlock, Sports Illustrated reports.
Castergine, who was promoted to senior vice president for ticket sales and service on the month she became pregnant, filed the suit on Wednesday.
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The lawsuit alleges that Wilpon was heard to say that he is “old fashioned and thinks [Castergine] should be married before having a baby.”
Wilpon allegedly told Castergine to tell her boyfriend she would get a raise and bonus when she “gets a ring.”
And on another occasion, Wilpon allegedly told Castergine and six male senior executives: “I am as morally opposed to putting an e-cigarette sign in my ballpark as I am to Leigh having this baby without being married.”
Castergine also alleges Wilpon told her she would get more respect if she got married.
Jeff the Wilpon family were among Bernard Madoff’s investors, but they did not lose any money. They actually made and held on to $48 million in their dealings with the ponzi firm.
Castergine alleges she reported the boss’ comments but no investigation, much less action, was pursued by team’s HR. In fact, she alleges the HR executive director told her she should quit.
The lawsuit alleges Wilpon fired Castergine on Aug. 20, because Castergine supposedly had failed to reach her sales goals. He allegedly told her that “something has changed” and that she was no longer “as aggressive as she once had been.”
According to the lawsuit, Castergine was the first woman to hold a senior vice president position with the Mets in the team’s entire 52-year history.
