Umpire Marty Springstead Dead at 74

Longtime American League umpire Marty Springstead has passed away. He was 74. Bruce Webber, author of As They See 'Em, wrote an obituary in the New York Times.

During his umpiring career in the American League, Springstead officiated three All Star Games, in 1969, 1975, and 1982; four American League Championship Series, in 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1981; and three World Series, 1973, 1978, and 1983. He was on the plate for five no hitters during his tenure. Springstead remains the youngest crew chief in World Series history for his work during the 1973 World Series. He was 36. After retiring from the field, Springstead continued to serve Major League baseball as an umpire executive.

Dick Runchey, First Umpire Inductee Into College Baseball Hall of Fame

Longtime umpire Dick Runchey has received the inaugural National Collegiate Umpire Award presented by the College Baseball Foundation and College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas. The award honors lifetime excellence in umpiring, and was presented to Runchey on July 3 as part of the College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Runchey is an excellent choice as the first recipient of this award. His resume includes five College World Series and 19 NCAA regional tournaments. He worked the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and the 1987 Pan American games. Runchey currently works as a regional adviser for the NCAA National Umpire Program.

Many of us know Dick Runchey through his continuing contributions to the umpire community.  He is the Executive Director of the Amateur Baseball Umpire Association, he has served as the Director of Umpires for the International Baseball Federation from 2003-2009, and each year he participates in many amateur umpire clinics around the country. Dick's generous and selfless efforts have helped umpires from around the world improve their skills and further their umpiring careers. Despite his international respect and prominence, Dick Runchey remains a humble guy:

"When I got the call from Mike Gustafson Executive Director of the College Baseball Hall of Fame, I got the chills just like when I got the calls from the NCAA Umpire Directors saying I was selected to work the College World Series. This is my 43rd year being involved in Baseball umpiring, and to be selected by my peers and college baseball personnel as the first recipient of the National Collegiate Umpire Award is truly a humbling experience. I accept this award on behalf of all college baseball umpires as we as a fraternity provide to college baseball a dedicated and passionate group of people who love what they do for the great game of college baseball. I look forward to assisting in selection of future umpires for this award and I thank the College Baseball Foundation for creating such an honor. It was my best three days in baseball at the College Baseball Hall of Fame event."

Congratulations to Dick Runchey and his family for this well-deserved honor. A video of the 2011 College Baseball Hall of Fame Night of Champions awards ceremony can be seen on MLB.com using the link below:

When Umpires were Real Men (but had false teeth)

I came across this picture on baseball-fever.com attributed to the year 1887. Even the casual baseball fan will notice there is no mound and the catcher is not wearing a mitt. However, you and I see the umpire, without mask, instinctively leaning towards the slot.

Here is a closer picture of the umpire:

ABUA Hall of Fame Umpires

Dick Runchey and Jason Klein recently provided a list of the ABUA Hall of Fame members:

1999 Gus Steiner
1999 Bud Schoephlin
1999 Hank Roundtree
1999 Tom Ravashiere
1999 Tony Patch
1999 Richard Alexander
1999 Ray Munari
2000 CJ Mitchell
2000 Alan Keen
2000 Curly Clement
2000 Doug Cossey
2000 Art Blair
2001 Louis Spry
2001 Anibal Rosario Rivera
2001 Bob Jones
2001 Dale Williams
2002 Al Alford
2002 Al Forman
2002 Riccardo Fraccari
2002 Brad Rumble
2002 Dick Runchey

With luck I may be able to post some biographical information or links regarding the members. I drafted one brief biography below.

There is some discussion about reviving the ABUA Hall of Fame and inducting new members. It is certainly a great honor and should be continued. Midwest Ump fully supports the ABUA and its Hall of Fame and hopes that it will be brought back to life in the near future.

Gus J. Steiner [dec.]
Inducted 1999

After losing his right arm in a truck accident at age 17, Steiner continued to play for his high school baseball team in Northampton , Pennsylvania. In 1954, at age 26, he began umpiring. His many accomplishments during his 46 year career include:

NCAA College World Series, 1970, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1985 and 1989
NCAA Regionals, 1962 to 1992
NAIA College World Series, 1979 and 1980
Pan-Am games in South American, 1967 and 1971
Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, 1984
World Games in Havana, Cuba
American Legion World Series, 1977

Steiner worked for the Southern Umpires Association, the Cape Cod League, the Alaska Central League, and the Atlantic College League. Steiner is a member of the Northampton County, College and Blue Mountain halls of fame. He was a member of the Bethlehem and the E.C.A.C. umpires associations.

John Kibler NL Umpire (1928-2010)

As a kid I was big fan of National League teams, first the Dodgers and later the Cardinals after my family moved to the St. Louis area in the late seventies. I remember the name John Kibler, but I never paid much attention to the umpires. To paraphrase Ken Kaiser, no one grows up dreaming about being an umpire.

As umpires I think it is important to recognize and remember umpires from the past. John Kibler passed away on Thursday, he was 81. Kibler worked as a full time National League umpire from 1965 to 1989. During his final season Sports Illustrated did a feature story on Kibler that I highly recommend. It describes the joy he had in going to the ballpark to ply what he called, “my profession.” Kibler was a Navy Vet during the Korean War and worked four World Series.

While the media has reported Kibler’s death with reference to the Bill Buckner error in 1986 (which he had little to do with other than pointing the ball fair), what he may be most remembered for in umpire circles is a very human and “umpire-ish” moment.

During a game in 1969, the Dodgers' Bill Sudakis tried to take second on a looper into short center that the Cardinals’ shortstop and secondbaseman both chased. Center fielder Curt Flood fired the ball into second where third baseman Mike Shannon was covering. Kibler, the second base umpire, had gone out. Seeing his partner out, first base umpire Ed Vargo hustled into second just in time for the play. . . and the arrival of Kibler. Here is the photo:


Kibler, on the left, has Sudakis out while Vargo is adamant with a safe call. Home plate umpire Al Barlick told a bewildered Dodgers manager that the call was Kibler’s and the runner was out. Under today’s mechanics the call would be Vargos. Additionally, today’s MLB Rule 9.04(c) states: “If different decisions should be made on one play by different umpires, the umpire-in-chief shall call all the umpires into consultation, with no manager or player present. After consultation, the umpire-in-chief (unless another umpire may have been designated by the league president) shall determine which decision shall prevail, based on which umpire was in best position and which decision was most likely correct. Play shall proceed as if only the final decision had been made.”

Great teaching point! Thanks, John Kibler, for all of your contributions to baseball. And thanks for reminding me what a privilege and joy it is to participate in the greatest game in the world.

The family asked that any donations be made to the Baseball Assistance Team, which helps those in the baseball community in need.

Doug Harvey Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Today legendary umpire Doug Harvey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Harvey received 93.8% of the votes from the Veterans Committee.

Nicknamed "God" by baseball players, Harvey commanded respect for his rules knowledge and commitment to his profession. During his 31 years Harvey umpired in five World Series, nine National League Championship Series, and six All-Star Games. While Harvey's achievements may earn him a plaque in Cooperstown, it is his contributions to the art of umpiring that make him a legend.

It is almost a sacred mantra among umpires: "Slow down! Slow down!"

Well, thank Doug Harvey for that advice. He emphasized delaying the call to ensure it is correct. He told Baseball Digest in 1992, "I've got a photograph of Jocko Conlan working first base. Jocko's arm was extended in the out call. But the runner was still short of the bag, and the ball was still in flight. In those days it was common to anticipate the call. Everything was called too quickly."

While Doug Harvey never attended umpire school, his advice on slowing down the timing of a call is a central feature at umpire school. All students are taught to take in the relevant information before reacting or making a call. As a result, better timing makes better umpires.

Congratulations to Doug Harvey on his election, and thanks for the lasting contributions to the profession of umpiring.

Champro Indicator Pleases Baseball Gods

Recently Champro sent me a plastic indicator to review. The Champro Baseball 4-Dial Umpire Indicator (A048) has a "new configuration" with balls on the left and strikes on the right (backwards from most umpire indicators). My initial impression is that this configuration makes sense, but will require some reconditioning. Umpires are generally well rooted in tradition and habit, and the indicator becomes a part of the umpire. Balls and strikes are recorded with very little thought while the umpire views a steal attempt, past ball, or buxom blonde in the third row.

But then I got to thinking, “Why are strikes on the left side of the indicator and balls on the right?” How did this tradition develop? My question led to some research on the internet. What I discovered is that there is a controversy regarding the origins of the umpire hand signals to indicate balls and strikes. I have found three different versions:

The first version is that the coaches of legendary 19th century outfielder William “Dummy” Hoy (who was deaf) would indicate the umpire's call for Hoy by raising a right arm for a strike and a left for a ball. The story goes that the umpires liked the practice and started copying it.

The second origin is a 1901 game in Chicago when the plate umpire wore a red sleeve on his right arm to indicate a strike and a white sleeve on his left arm for a ball. The umpires in this game raised the appropriate arm for the call.

A third account involves an military umpire at a prison camp during the Spanish-American War that would pick up a pebble in his right hand for a strike and one his left for a ball to keep track of the count. That umpire also indicated the count with his raised fingers in noisy situations.

Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem is also credited with introducing hand signals to the big leagues, as is National League umpire Cy Rigler, who reportedly started using them in the minor leagues.

But what about the reason the modern umpire indicator places strikes on the left, and balls on the right?

Indicators from the 19th century list balls first, then strikes (L to R). Later metal indicators (beginning in the 1940s?) listed strikes on top, balls in the middle, and outs at the bottom of the indicator. While I have not yet found an answer, I will continue to research this issue and perhaps one day write a report with a final answer (I have also written the Baseball Hall of Fame for information).

In the meantime, take a look at the new Champro indicator with balls on the left and strikes on the right (the way the baseball gods intended). The dial action is smooth and precise and the optic yellow wheel is easy to read.

The Champro Baseball 4-Dial Umpire Indicator (A048) is available for $24.96 at Epic Sports (pack of 12)

How to Umpire Including Knotty Problems by Billy Evans

How to Umpire (Including Knotty Problems) by Hall of Fame Umpire Billy Evans is available on-line at the Internet Archive. This classic is available in pdf and a few other formats.

This book, published in 1917, offers very practical advise to the modern umpire, such as:

Never lose sight of the ball. If you know where it is at all times, you are not going to lose very many plays. It is worse for someone to pull the hidden ball trick and the umpire not to see it, than it is for the player who has been trapped.

Don't turn your head and look the other way after you have given a decision. A lot of things can happen while you are looking in the opposite direction.

Show a little "pepper" in your work. If the umpire is always on the alert, the players invariably get the spirit. If the umpire is content to have the game drag, the players seldom offer any objection.

A lot of people say umpires are not human. They are wrong. It is human to err, and umpires err. If they made as many mistakes as most fans insist they do, they would indeed be very human.

Enjoy this terrific book from a umpire legend!

Vintage World Series Crew

Left to Right: Charley Rigler (NL), "Silk" O'Loughlin (AL), Billy Evans (AL), and Bill Klem (NL). Klem and Evans are Hall of Fame members. Not sure of the year as these umpires worked the 1912, 1915, and 1917 World Series together. Can anyone help?


And here is the 1909 World Series Crew: (L-R)Billy Evans, Silk O'Loughlin, Bill Klem, and James Johnstone. One hundred years ago this month! The 1909 World Series was the first time four umpires were used at the same time: plate, bases, and two outfield umpires.

***MORE INFO***

During the 1909 World Series with the Detroit Tigers, the Pittsburg Pirates installed temporary seats to accommodate the large crowds. The ground rules established that a ball hit or bounced into the permanent stands would be a home run, but a ball hit or bounced into the temporary stands would be a double. During Game 2, Dots Miller of the Pirates hit a ball down the right field line that landed fair and bounced into the stands. Neither Billy Evans nor Bill Klem saw where the ball had landed. Evans and Klem wound up asking the fans where it had landed. They decided that the ball landed in the temporary seats and Evans called it a double.

Billy Evans decided that having the two World Series reserve umpires on the field watching the foul lines would prevent another fiasco like this from ever happening again. A four man umpiring crew was implemented during Game 4 and continued until finally expanded to six umpires in 1947.