MLB Umpires

[Guest AG/DC]

How many MLB umps can we name? Active or inactive, living or deceased. Attempt to not look them up. You may google because you need help with spelling or something, but it's OK to post "Rene Whatshisname, who blew that call in the post-season sometime in the eighties." We'll figure out who you mean.

Old American League umps are mostly ghosts to me anyhow.

One per post. Once you post one, please let at least seven posts pass before posting again. If you can come up with a fact about the umpire you offer, all the better, but not necessary.

I'll open with... Doug Harvey.

Fact: nicknamed "God" by the players.

Opinion masquerading as fact: overdue for the Hall of Fame.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Since you started with "God", I'll name his antithesis, Angel Hernandez.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Don Denkinger. He made a bad call in the 1985 World Series that may have cost St. Louis a Worlds Championship. (Not that I minded, I was rooting hard against Whitey Herzog's team that year.)

[TransMonk]

Dana DeMuth

[batmagadanleadoff]

Shag Crawford -- Not on the cover of the Mets 1971 yearbook.

[Guest mario25]

Eric Gregg----big dude RIP

[seawolf17]

Ron Luciano - wrote some of the funniest baseball books ever.

[Farmer Ted]

Pull up the old thread with the ump photos. Mug shot heaven.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

="mario25"]Eric Gregg----big dude RIP

Oh, man- I forgot about Gregg. It was always a happier day when he was working a game.

[HahnSolo]

Big John McSherry

Fact: Passed away on opening day in Cincinnati

Note: Always called "Big John". It was never just John.

[Guest AG/DC]

Ed Montague

Fact: His namesake father was a pre-war player and the scout who signed Willie Mays.

Can you imagine the boner a scout gets when he stumbles through the grass and first sees a talent like Mays or Mantle?

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Rick Reed, who's name would sometimes confuse me.
He was in For the Love of the Game with Kevin Costner who was in JFK with Kevin Bacon.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Rick Reed makes me think of another umpire with a Metly-sounding name:

Gary Darling.

[bmfc1]

I only remember umpires that I dislike:

Gary Darling
Angel Hernandez
CB Bucknor
and now, Brian Runge.

And the ump that called my son out on a pitch 6 inches outside of the strike zone last night. That guy, too.

[TransMonk]

Man of the hour Brian Runge.



Jerry says he's a master-baiter.

[batmagadanleadoff]

HahnSolo wrote: Big John McSherry Fact: Passed away on opening day in Cincinnati Note: Always called "Big John". It was never just John.

John McSherry. Big John McSherry. Collapsed while umpiring Home Plate of the 1996 Opening Day Game in Cincinatti, and died within the hour. Ironically. McSherry, who was believed to weigh close to 400 pounds, was scheduled to undergo a thorough medical and physical examination the next day.

In response to McSherry's death, Marge Schott provided this, possibly semi-strange quote: "Snow this morning and now this. I don't believe it. I feel cheated. This isn't supposed to happen to us, not in Cincinnati. This is our history, our tradition, our team. Nobody feels worse than me."

It was also believed that the flowers Marge Schott sent to McSherry's funeral service were actually flowers given to her on the day of the game by WLWT, the Reds' television affiliate in Cincinnati. According to the story, Schott hastily wrote a sympathy note and attached it to the flowers

McSherry's death led to greater awareness by MLB, of the physical condition of its' umpires, and was the direct cause of Eric Gregg's subsequent leave of absence; Gregg dieted and returned to baseball signifcantly lighter.

The Mets honored the memory of McSherry by wearing a commemorative "J.M. N.L. Umpire" patch on their right sleeves throughout the entire 1996 season.

[Centerfield]

Tim Tschida. At least that's how I think you spell it.

I got nothing on Tim, other than that he has an impressive porn stache.

CB Bucknor, I think, was an ex-marine and on the field when some bozo from the stands decided to run onto the field. CB took him down and made him realize what a bad idea it was.

Now I'm thinking it might have been Lance Barksdale. Crap. I suck at this.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Dave Pallone. Pushed by Pete Rose during a Met game in 1988. Rose was subsequently suspended for 30 games. Pallone resigned from Baseball over allegations that he was involved with a teenage sex ring. Later wrote Behind the Mask, about his experiences as a homosexual Major League umpire.

[seawolf17]

Dutch Rennert, home plate umpire at the first MLB game I ever attended.

[batmagadanleadoff]

seawolf17 wrote: Dutch Rennert, home plate umpire at the first MLB game I ever attended.

Loudest umpire. Ever.

[seawolf17]

Maybe that's why I remembered him.

(Or it's because I've looked it up and have his autograph on my wall.)

[batmagadanleadoff]

="batmagadanleadoff"]Shag Crawford -- on the cover of the Mets 1971 yearbook.

That's actually Stan Landes on the cover of the '71 Yearbook - not Shag Crawford. But Stan Landes was also a Major League Umpire. In fact, Stan Landes appeared on the cover of the Mets 1971 yearbook, poised to decide whether Dodger Manny Mota was safe or out on a play at the plate.
_________________________

In Game Four of the '69 WS, Shag Crawford ejected Earl Weaver and also called JC Martin safe on a controversial play even though the Met pinch hitter ran outside of the runner's lane on the way to first base.

Shag right there in the Marichal - Roseboro affair.

[HahnSolo]

Fred Brocklander.

Astros fans have never forgiven him for calling Craig Reynolds out at first in game 5 of the 1986 NLCS.

[Gwreck]

Tim McClelland, home plate umpire in the pine tar game and also home plate umpire when Sosa was caught with a corked bat.

Edit: Whoops, didn't read the rules that carefully.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Carlos Delgado's best friend, Bob Davidson.

[Gwreck]

Davidson also called the two balks on Armando Benitez in an early '07 game that put Delgado in a position to win on a walk-off HR (which he hit).

[Guest AG/DC]

So far we've got:

1. Lance Barksdale: Fact-Free. Wasn't the ump who won a confrontation with an attacking fan.


2. Fred Brocklander: Contrversially called Craig Reynolds out at first in game five of the 1986 NLCS.


3. CB Bucknor: Fact-Free. Wasn't the ump who won a confrontation with an attacking fan.


4. Shag Crawford: Not on the cover of the Mets 1971 yearbook. Ejected Earl Weaver and also called JC Martin safe on a controversial play in the 1969 World Series.


5. Gary Darling: Shared his last name with a Mets pitcher of the same era (and I believe wasn't allowed to ump any games when RJ pitched).


6. Bob Davidson: Called the two balks on Armando Benitez in 2007 game that put Delgado in a position to win on a walk-off homer.


7. Dana DeMuth: Fact-free.


8. Don Denkinger: Cost the Cardinals a World Championship with a blown call.


9. Eric Gregg: big dude who's dead.


10. Doug Harvey: nicknamed "God."


11. Angel Hernandez: The devil to Mets fans.


12. Stan Landes: On the cover of the '71 Mets Yearbook.


13. Ron Luciano: Wrote funny books.


14. Tim McClelland: Is the Contraband King, home plate umpire in the pine-tar game and also home plate umpire when Sosa was caught with a corked bat.


15. Big John McSherry: Bigger dude who died on the job on opening day and got only backhanded respect from Marge Schott.


16. Ed Montague: His father signed Willie Mays.


17. Dave Pallone: Pusshed by Pete Rose during a Met game in 1988, earning the Hit King a 30-game suspension. Gay and out. Resigned under a cloud.


18. Rick Reed: Shared his name with a Mets pitcher of the same era.


19. Dutch Rennert: Loud and proud.


20. Brian Runge: Tossed Jerry Manuel and Carlos Beltran last night and was accused by Beltran of baiting.


21. Tim Tschida: Has an impressive porn stache.

Is that all you've got?

[Frayed Knot]

Kerwin Dantley - looked like Butch Huskey

[Guest AG/DC]

Laz Diaz: Was the ump who won a fight with an attacking fan.

[batmagadanleadoff]

="AG/DC"] Dave Pallone: Pusshed by Pete Rose during a Met game in 1988, earning the Hit King a 30-game suspension. Gay and out. Resigned under a cloud.

A better title for Pallone's book, Behind the Mask, would've been Outed at the Plate.
____________

Ed Sudol. Umpired three marathon extra inning games involving the Mets, two as the home plate umpire:

May, 1964 - Giants over the Mets in 23 innings. Casey's crew turns a triple play.

April, 1968 Astros 1, Mets 0 in 24 innings. Longest shutout in Major League History. Boswell, Agee and Swoboda each take an 0 for 10 collar. "We hope you are enjoying tonight's third game as much as you enjoyed the first two." - Astrodome scoreboard message in the 20th inning.


September, 1974 - Cards 4, Mets 3 in 25 innings. Dave Schneck extends himself over the outfield wall in the 12th inning to rob Redbird Rookie Keith Hernandez of a game-winning HR.

Sudol was also the left field ump at Shea Stadium during the Rose-Bud Mets-Reds playoff game in 1973. Sudol ducked about as many bottles as Pete did.