Dale Scott, a longtime Major League Baseball umpire, revealed in an interview that he is gay and married to his partner of 28 years.

“I am extremely grateful that Major League Baseball has always judged me on my work and nothing else,” Scott told Outsports.com in an article published Tuesday. “And that’s the way it should be.”

Scott was profiled in October in Referee magazine. The profile included a photo of Scott and his longtime companion, Michael Rausch, whom he married in Palm Springs in November 2013.  Scott told Outsports.com it was a very small ceremony.

The two split time between homes in Portland and Palm Springs, and it was in the desert that they were married last November; “It was kind of a long 27-year engagement,” Scott jokes. The mayor of Palm Springs officiated and the affair was so low-key they didn’t tell their families until later because they didn’t want a fuss made over them.

The 55-year-old Scott will begin his 30th season in the majors next spring. He has been a member of the big league staff since 1986 and is a crew chief. He worked the World Series in 1998, 2001 and 2004.

According to Outsports.com, Scott is the first male official in the four major sports leagues to announce he is gay.