Bruce Dreckman

Last updated

Bruce Dreckman
Bruce Dreckman 2013.JPG
Dreckman in 2013
Born: (1970-08-07) August 7, 1970 (age 54)
Le Mars, Iowa, U.S.
MLB debut
April 5, 1996
Career highlights and awards
Special Assignments

Bruce Michael Dreckman (born August 7, 1970) is an American umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 1. [1] [2]

Contents

Dreckman began his career in 1996 as a National League umpire, but has umpired in both Major Leagues since 2002. [1] Prior to reaching MLB, Dreckman umpired in the Appalachian League, Midwest League, Carolina League, Southern League, and American Association. [2] Dreckman has worked the 2004, 2005, 2010, and 2011 National League Division Series, the 2009 and 2013 National League Championship Series, and the 2010 All-Star Game.

Dreckman was among the 54 umpires who were part of the 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation, a labor negotiating tactic that backfired when the major leagues accepted 22 of the resignations (and allowed others to be rescinded). Dreckman was among those who lost his job, and did not return to the major league diamond as an arbiter until being rehired in 2002.

He was the first base umpire for Roy Halladay's no-hitter in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS and the home plate umpire for Francisco Liriano's no-hitter in 2011. [3] Dreckman represented MLB in the 2006 Japan All-Star Series, and worked the Miami round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic. [2] He also was the first base umpire who, on May 13, 2010, called San Francisco Giants catcher Eli Whiteside safe on a bang-bang play at first base after Whiteside hit a line drive off the side of San Diego Padres pitcher Mat Latos. The hit would wind up being the only hit or walk Latos allowed in the game, as an error was committed by second baseman Lance Zawadzki but the error would not have happened because it occurred while trying to complete a double play, something that would have been impossible if Whiteside had been called out. The Padres, at that point, were the only team in MLB history to have never thrown a no-hitter, let alone a perfect game. Replays, however, seem to indicate that Dreckman had made the correct call by calling Whiteside safe.

Dreckman was the third base umpire on July 30, 2017, when Adrián Beltré of the Texas Rangers got his 3000th career hit against the Baltimore Orioles.

When keeping track of balls and strikes, Dreckman does not use the traditional handheld indicator used by most umpires. He instead utilizes two elastic down indicators (one for each hand) that football referees wear on their wrists. When the count is 0-0, he has the elastics around his thumbs. When there is one ball and/or one strike, he wears them around his index finger, and so on. He is the only current MLB umpire to use this strategy.[ citation needed ]

Dreckman lives in Marcus, Iowa with his wife and three children. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umpire (baseball)</span> Person charged with officiating a baseball game

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 disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump. They are also sometimes nicknamed blue due to the traditional color of the uniform worn by umpires. 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.

Bruce Neal Froemming is an American Major League Baseball Special Assistant to the Vice President on Umpiring, after having served as an umpire in Major League Baseball. He first umpired in the National League in 1971, and from 2000 to 2007 worked throughout both major leagues. Early in the 2007 season, Froemming tied Bill Klem for the most seasons umpired. Previously, on August 16, 2006, Froemming umpired his 5,000th game between the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, making him the second umpire to reach that milestone; Klem retired after 5,374 games. Froemming now stands third on the all-time list of games umpired, having been passed when Joe West officiated his 5,164th Major League Baseball game on August 14, 2019. On April 20, 2007, he umpired at first base in the Cleveland Indians-Tampa Bay Devil Rays game, passing Klem to become – at age 67 years 204 days – the man then believed to be the oldest umpire in major league history; Hank O'Day holds the record, retiring at 68 years, 2 months. He worked his final regular-season game at age 68 years 2 days on September 30, 2007, when Froemming received a standing ovation before umpiring his last regular-season game, manning the third base position as the Milwaukee Brewers hosted the San Diego Padres at Miller Park in his native Milwaukee, with much of his family in attendance. Because Froemming was then over age 65, he became eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 instead of having to wait the customary five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Eddings</span> American baseball umpire (born 1968)

Douglas Leon Eddings is an American professional umpire in Major League Baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derryl Cousins</span> American baseball umpire (1946–2020)

Derryl Cousins was an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB), who worked in the American League (AL) from 1979 to 1999, and umpired throughout both leagues from 2000 until his retirement following the 2012 season, ending his career as a crew chief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Wolf</span> American baseball umpire (born 1969)

James Michael Wolf is an American Major League Baseball umpire. He joined the major league staff in 1999 after working in the Arizona Rookie League, the South Atlantic League, the California League, the Texas League and the Pacific Coast League. He wears uniform number 28.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Winters</span> American baseball umpire (born 1958)

Michael John Winters is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1988 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 to 2019, wearing number 33. For the 2011 season, Winters was named a crew chief following the retirements of Jerry Crawford, Mike Reilly, and Chuck Meriwether.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Wegner</span> American baseball umpire (born 1972)

Mark Patrick Wegner is an American Major League Baseball umpire. He worked in the National League from 1998 to 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He was promoted to Crew Chief for the 2018 MLB season when Dale Scott retired after the 2017 MLB season.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Cuzzi</span> American baseball umpire (born 1955)

Philip Cuzzi is an American professional baseball umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He worked as a reserve umpire in the National League (NL) from 1991 to 1993 and returned to the NL in 1999. Since 2000, he has worked in both major leagues. Cuzzi wore number 99 when his career started; he now wears number 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fieldin Culbreth</span> American baseball umpire (born 1963)

Fieldin Henry Culbreth III is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He worked in the American League from 1993 to 1999 and in both major leagues from 2000 until his retirement in 2021. Culbreth was promoted to crew chief prior to the 2013 season. Culbreth wore number 42 while he was an American League umpire, then changed to 25 in 2000 after the MLB umpires were unified into one crew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin Hudson</span> American baseball umpire (born 1964)

Marvin Lee Hudson is an American Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire who began his career in the National League in 1998. He has officiated in the 2004 All-Star Game, eight Division Series, four League Championship Series, and two World Series. He wears uniform number 51.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Barksdale</span> American baseball umpire (born 1967)

Robert Lance Barksdale is an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began umpiring in the major leagues in 2000 and joined the full-time major league staff in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Guccione (umpire)</span> American baseball umpire (born 1974)

Christopher Gene Guccione is an American umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 68.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Johnson (umpire)</span> American baseball umpire (born 1975)

Adrian Andre Johnson is an American umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears uniform number 80.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Drake</span> American baseball umpire (born 1969)

Robert Paul Drake is an American umpire in Major League Baseball. He was named to the Major League staff in 2010, and wears uniform number 8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic Carapazza</span> American baseball umpire (born 1979)

Victor Joseph Carapazza is an American Major League Baseball umpire. He wears uniform number 19, and previously wore uniform number 85.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Muchlinski</span> American baseball umpire (born 1977)

Michael William Muchlinski is an American Major League Baseball umpire. He umpired his first Major League game on April 24, 2006, and was officially hired by MLB prior to the 2014 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Tumpane</span> American baseball umpire (born 1983)

John Francis Tumpane is an American Major League Baseball umpire, who wears number 74.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Little</span> American baseball umpire (born 1984)

William Max Little III is an American Major League Baseball umpire. He was promoted to a full-time position in February 2015. He attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee, then studied biology at Milligan College, where he continued playing baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramon De Jesus</span> Dominican baseball umpire (born 1983)


Ramon Silvestre De Jesus Ferrer is a Dominican professional baseball umpire. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut on April 22, 2016, thus becoming the first MLB umpire from the Dominican Republic. De Jesus wears number 18, which was most previously worn by former umpire Marcus Pattillo.

References

  1. 1 2 "Bruce Dreckman". Retrosheet.org . Retrosheet . Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Bruce Dreckman - 1". MLB.com . Major League Baseball . Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  3. ↑ "May 3, 2011 Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.