In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump. They are also sometimes addressed as blue at lower levels due to the common color of the uniform worn by umpires. In professional baseball, the term blue is seldom used by players or managers, who instead call the umpire by name. Although games were often officiated by a sole umpire in the formative years of the sport, since the turn of the 20th century, officiating has been commonly divided among several umpires, who form the umpiring crew. The position is analogous to that of a referee in many other sports.
Gerald Sidney Davis is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball. He worked in the National League from 1982 to 1999 and in Major League Baseball from 2000 to 2021. He was promoted to crew chief in 1999. Davis umpired five World Series, nine League Championship Series and eleven League Division Series. He also worked in the All-Star Game four times. Davis wore uniform number 12 throughout his career.
Instant replay or action replay is a video reproduction of something that recently occurred which was both shot and broadcast live.
In sports, an ejection is the removal of a participant from a contest due to a violation of the sport's rules. The exact violations that lead to an ejection vary depending upon the sport, but common causes for ejection include unsportsmanlike conduct, violent acts against another participant that are beyond the sport's generally accepted standards for such acts, abuse against officials, violations of the sport's rules that the contest official deems to be egregious, or the use of an illegal substance to better a player's game. Most sports have provisions that allow players to be ejected, and many allow for the ejection of coaches, managers, or other non-playing personnel. In sports that use penalty cards, a red card is often used to signal dismissals. In some sports, another player is permitted to enter the game in place of the player who has been ejected, but in others the team is required to continue the game with a reduced number of players.
Harry Hunter Wendelstedt Jr. was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1966 to 1998. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Wendelstedt umpired in the World Series in 1973, 1980, 1986, 1991 and 1995, serving as crew chief in 1980 and 1995. He also officiated in seven National League Championship Series and four All-Star games, calling balls and strikes in 1976. Wendelstedt umpired in the National League Division Series in 1995, 1996 and 1997. He wore uniform number 21.
Douglas Leon Eddings is an American professional umpire in Major League Baseball.
Ángel Hernández is a Cuban-American former professional baseball umpire. He worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999 and worked throughout Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 until his retirement in May 2024. Hernández was involved in several controversial incidents and was widely criticized by players, coaches, and fans throughout his career.
Robert Allan Davidson is a former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Balkin' Bob" and "Balk-a-Day Bob" for his tendency to liberally invoke baseball's balk rule, Davidson was an umpire on the National League (NL) staff from 1982 to 1999, and he was on the combined MLB umpiring staff from 2005 to 2016. He worked one World Series (1992) and several other postseason series.
Timothy Reid McClelland is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1983 to 1999 and throughout both leagues from 2000 through the 2013 season. He called many important games, from post-season games to the George Brett "Pine Tar" game in 1983. He was the plate umpire for the Sammy Sosa corked bat game on June 3, 2003, when the Chicago Cubs hosted the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Wrigley Field. He wore uniform number 36 after his promotion to the AL, and kept the number when Major League Baseball merged the American and National League umpiring staffs in 2000.
Jack Russell Memorial Stadium is a baseball field in Clearwater, Florida. It opened as Jack Russell Stadium in 1955. It was the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team from 1955 through 2003. Since 2017, it has been home to the Clearwater High School and St. Petersburg College baseball teams.
Richard Raul Garcia is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League (AL) from 1975 to 1999. Garcia wore uniform number 19 when the AL adopted numbers for its umpires in 1980.
Wilbur Snapp was a self-taught American musician who was the stadium organist for the Clearwater Phillies, a minor-league baseball team, and for the Philadelphia Phillies in spring training, over a period of 20 years.
Mike G. Everitt is an American former Major League Baseball umpire, who wore number 57. He worked in the American League from 1996 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 to 2019.
Frank Victor Pulli was a professional baseball umpire, working in the National League from 1972 until 1999. He umpired many postseason games, including four World Series. Pulli wore uniform number 14 during his career.
In gridiron football, replay review is a method of reviewing a play using cameras at various angles to determine the accuracy of the initial call of the officials. An instant replay can take place in the event of a close or otherwise controversial call, either at the request of a team's head coach or the officials themselves.
Major League Baseball (MLB) uses instant replay review to allow league officials to review certain types of plays in order to determine the accuracy of the initial call of the umpires on the field. Reviews may be initiated either by a team's manager with limitations or by the umpires themselves. All instant replay reviews are examined by umpires at the Replay Command Center in New York City, who have the final decision as to whether to uphold or overturn the initial call.
Gerald William Meals is an American former Major League Baseball umpire. After serving as an NL reserve umpire from 1992 to 1997, he became a full-time umpire in 1998. Meals was promoted to crew chief in 2015, and worked the World Series in 2014 and 2020. He retired following the 2022 season.
Andrew Jay Fletcher is an American umpire in Major League Baseball, wearing number 49. He worked in the National League in 1999 and has worked across both major leagues since 2000. Fletcher has appeared in one Major League Baseball All-Star Game and in one World Baseball Classic.
Samuel Woodford Holbrook is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. He made his MLB debut in 1996 and was promoted to crew chief in 2017. Holbrook worked the World Series in 2010, 2016, and 2019. He retired following the 2022 season.
Lindsay Imber is an American musician who is the stadium organist for the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks.
