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Wendelstedt Umpire School
The Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School umpires for professional baseball is an independent umpire training program recognized by the minor leagues and major leagues. It is located in Ormond Beach, Florida. It runs for five weeks each early January through early February. The school is open to both men and women; the only woman ever to work a Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training game, Pam Postema, graduated from the school, as have a number of other female professional umpires. The school was previously known as the Bill McGowan School for Umpires and the Al Somers Umpire School. History Umpire Bill McGowan founded the program as the Bill McGowan School for Umpires in 1938. The school was run by former umpire Al Somers after McGowan's death in the 1950s. Harry Wendelstedt was the chief instructor for the Somers school, acquiring the school in 1977, where it has stayed in family ownership, with son Hunter Wendelstedt in control since 2012. Facilities The Wendelstedt Umpire S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach is a city in central Florida in Volusia County. The population was 43,080 at the 2020 census. Ormond Beach lies directly north of Daytona Beach and is a principal city of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is known as the birthplace of speed, as early adopters of motorized cars flocked to its hard-packed beaches for yearlong entertainment, since paved roads were not yet commonplace. Ormond Beach lies in Central Eastern Florida. History Ormond Beach was once within the domain of the Timucuan Indians. Ormond Beach was frequented by Timacuan Indians, but never truly inhabited until 1643 when Quakers blown off course to the New England area ran ashore. They settled in a small encampment along the Atlantic shore. Early relations with neighboring tribes were fruitful, however, in 1704 a local Timacuan chief, Oseanoha, led a raid of the encampment killing most of the population. In 1708 Spaniards inhabited the area an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doug Eddings
Douglas Leon Eddings (born September 14, 1968) is an American professional umpire in Major League Baseball. Umpiring style A report in ''The Hardball Times'' listed Eddings as having called the largest strike zone among all Major League umpires in 2011. Career Eddings started umpiring Little League games at 14, and in his early career, worked throughout the minor leagues. He started working American League games in 1998, and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. In the postseason, Eddings has worked the 2000 ALDS, 2002 ALDS, 2005 ALCS, 2014 NL Wild Card Game, 2018 NLDS, the 2019 NLDS, the 2019 World Series the 2020 National League Wild Card Series, the 2020 NLDS, the 2021 NLDS, the 2022 AL Wild Card Series and the 2022 NLCS. He also worked the 2004 All-Star Game and was the replay official for the 2017 All-Star Game. He wears uniform number 88. Notable games Eddings was the home plate umpire for Cal Ripken Jr.'s final major league game on October 6, 200 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Vanover
Larry Wayne Vanover (born August 22, 1955) is an American professional baseball umpire. Vanover worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999. He did not umpire in 2000 and 2001, and since 2002 has umpired across both major leagues. Vanover has umpired in three Division Series ( 2006, 2013, 2016), three League Championship Series ( 2003, 2007, 2011), and the 2016 World Series. He also has officiated in two All Star Games (1999, 2013) and the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Career Vanover worked in several minor leagues before his major league debut in 1991. He officiated in the South Atlantic League, Midwest League, Southern League, American Association, Pacific Coast League, International League and Venezuelan League. Vanover was behind the plate when Marge Schott came on the field just prior to an April 1996 Astros–Reds doubleheader and apologized to Vanover for her Opening Day comments following the death of umpire John McSherry. The Opening Day game had been postpone ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charlie Reliford
Charles Harold Reliford (born September 19, 1956) is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). After working in the National League (NL) from 1989 to 1999, he worked throughout both leagues from 2000 to 2009. He wore uniform number 18. Reliford retired from umpiring following the 2009 season, taking a job as a supervisor of umpires. Reliford began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1982, eventually reaching the Triple-A American Association. He made his NL debut on May 29, 1989. Reliford officiated in the World Series in 2000 and 2004, and in the All-Star Game in 1996 and 2007. He has also umpired in three League Championship Series ( 1999, 2001, 2002) and in four Division Series ( 1995, 1997, 2000, 2004). In Game 2 of the 2000 World Series, Reliford was the home plate umpire when Mike Piazza of the New York Mets had his bat shatter and fly towards the pitcher's mound on a foul ball. Roger Clemens of the New York Yankees fired the sawed-off piece of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Nauert
Paul Edward Nauert (born July 7, 1963) is an American professional baseball umpire who has umpired in Major League Baseball (MLB) since becoming a part-time National League (NL) umpire in 1995. Nauert previously worked in the Appalachian League (1988), the Midwest League (1989–1990), the Florida Instructional League (1988–1990), the Southern League (1991–1992), and the International League (1993–1998). He was the base umpire during the 27-inning, eight-hour-and-15-minute, Bluefield at Burlington game of June 24, 1988, that ended at 3:27 am on June 25. Nauert umpired his first National League game on May 19, 1995, and was one of 22 umpires whose resignations were accepted in 1999 (the resignations were part of a failed union negotiating strategy). On being rehired in 2002, he became part of the Major League Baseball umpire staff. Nauert has worked the 2020 American League Wild Card Series, the 2004 American League Division Series, the 2008 National League Division Serie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chuck Meriwether
Julius Edward "Chuck" Meriwether (June 30, 1956 – October 26, 2019) was a Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire. After working in the American League (AL) from 1988 to 1999, he umpired in both leagues from 2000 to 2009. Meriwether originally wore number 32, but in 2004 switched to number 14. Career After graduating from Athens State College in 1978, he first umpired in the minor leagues in 1979, reaching the American Association in 1986 before continuing up to the AL. He was an umpire in the 2004 World Series and the 2007 World Series, and in the All-Star Game in 1996 and 2002. He also umpired in the 2003 National League Championship Series and the 2006 American League Championship Series, and in eight Division Series (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2009). He was the third base umpire for the single-game playoff to decide the National League's 2007 wild card team. He was the third base umpire for David Cone's perfect game on July 18, 1999, and the second base umpir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randy Marsh
Randall Gilbert Marsh (born April 8, 1949) is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1981 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 to 2009. Marsh wore the uniform number 30. Major League career Marsh umpired in the World Series in 1990, 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2006, serving as crew chief for the last three Series, and in the All-Star Game in 1985, 1988, 1996, and 2006, calling balls and strikes for the 1996 game. He is the tenth umpire in history to serve as crew chief for three World Series. Marsh also officiated in nine League Championship Series ( 1989, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009) and in five Division Series ( 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006). He had been a crew chief from the 1998 season until his retirement following the 2009 season. Marsh was the crew chief of Crew P for 2009, which included Mike Winters, Alfonso Márquez, and Lance Barksdale. Marsh was known for a comparatively small yet highly c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jerry Layne
Jerry Blake Layne (born September 28, 1958) is an American umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League between 1989 and 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He wore uniform number 24 in the NL, but when MLB merged the AL and NL umpiring staffs in 2000, Layne was forced to switch to number 26, as AL umpire Al Clark, who also wore 24, had more seniority. When Clark was fired midway through the 2001 season by MLB, Layne reclaimed number 24 and has worn it ever since. With the retirements of Joe West and Gerry Davis, Layne became MLB's most senior active umpire for the 2022 season. Umpiring career In October 2005, he umpired in his first World Series. He was also the home plate umpire when Barry Bonds hit his record 71st home run in , and for the no-hitter pitched by Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 29, 1990, at Dodger Stadium. Layne was chosen as one of the umpires for the one-game Wild Card playoff between the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Kulpa
Ronald Clarence Kulpa (born October 5, 1968) is an American umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears uniform number 46. Umpiring career Kulpa's professional umpiring career began in 1992 and he advanced to the Pacific Coast League in 1998. Kulpa was one of the 22 umpires promoted in the wake of the Major League Umpires Association's mass-resignation strategy in July , and was named to the National League staff for the remainder of the 1999 season. When the umpiring staffs from the two leagues merged for the season, Kulpa began working in both leagues. He has worked several MLB Special Events, including the All-Star Game (2001, 2015), Wild Card (2020), Division Series (2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2020, 2021), League Championship Series (2005, 2013, 2014), and World Series (2011, 2021). He also officiated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Kulpa was named a Crew Chief for the 2022 MLB season. Controversies Kulpa was head-butted by Carl Everett of the Boston ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sam Holbrook
Samuel Woodford Holbrook (born July 7, 1965) is an American umpire (baseball), umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 1996 and became a crew chief in 2017. Holbrook wears number (sports), number 34. Umpiring career Sam Holbrook began his umpiring career in the Appalachian League in 1990, followed by stints in the Midwest League, Midwest, Carolina League, Carolina, Texas League, Texas, Eastern League (1938–2020), Eastern and International League, International Leagues before making his Major League debut in June, 1996. Holbrook worked the 1996 season in the American League, followed by three seasons in the National League. In 1999, he was one of 22 umpires whose resignations were accepted (in 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation, a failed union negotiating tactic), and was rehired in 2002, umpiring games in both Major Leagues since then. Holbrook has umpired in six Division Series (2005 National League Division Series, 2005, 2007 Nation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Hirschbeck
John Francis Hirschbeck (born September 7, 1954) is a former umpire for Major League Baseball. He worked in the American League from 1984 to 1999 and worked in both leagues from 2000 to 2016. He was a crew chief at the time of his retirement, and wore uniform number 17 throughout his career. Hirschbeck announced his retirement following the 2016 season. In 2000, Hirschbeck was elected as the first president of the newly certified World Umpires Association, a position he held until 2009. Umpiring career Hirschbeck umpired in the All-Star Game three times (1989, 2004, 2013), in the Division Series 10 times (AL: 1995, 1998, 1999, 2005; NL: 2001, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016), the American League Championship Series 5 times (1990, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2015), and the World Series five times (1995, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016) acting as crew chief the latter three times. Controversies Though umpires typically prefer to stay out of the public eye, Hirschbeck found himself in the spotlight after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ed Hickox (umpire)
Edwin William Hickox (born July 31, 1962) is an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1990 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues beginning in 2005. He wears uniform number 15 (he wore uniform number 39 during his American League tenure). Hickox has officiated the Division Series in 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2019 and 2020, as well as the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He was rated the worst home plate umpire in MLB for balls and strikes in 2021. Early life Hickox became an Eagle Scout in 1979. He graduated from DeLand High School and St. Johns River Community College, where he played baseball. He completed training at the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1983. Career Hickox went on to umpire for several of baseball's minor leagues, and worked regularly as a substitute in the AL before his formal promotion to the league's staff in 1999. He resigned his position following the 1999 season as part of a failed union bargaining ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
