Christine Wren (born 1949) is an American former professional baseball umpire. She was the second woman to umpire professionally in organized baseball, and the first woman to work for a full baseball season. Wren completed three seasons as an ump, working in the Northwest League for two years in 1975–1976, and in the Midwest League in 1977. She was hired to work an exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the University of Southern California in 1975. [1]
Wren grew up in Spokane, Washington. As a young woman, she played sandlot baseball, and later fast pitch softball, often playing catcher. After making the decision to pursue umpiring, she attended the Bill Kinnamon Specialized Umpire course in California, one of the country's leading umpire schools. She was then invited by Peter O'Malley, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, to officiate an exhibition game between the Dodgers and the University of Southern California. [1] [2]
In 1975, Wren was hired to umpire in the Class A Northwest League. She officiated for two seasons in that league, from 1975 to 1976. [3] In 1977, she was assigned to the Class A Midwest League; during the season, she was invited by the league President, Bill Walters, to umpire the Midwest League all-star game. [4] After three seasons, she left umpiring to pursue other employment. [5]
While Bernice Gera was the first woman to officiate a professional baseball game, she worked only one game in 1972 after winning a court case to break into the sport. As only the second woman umpire, Wren faced some doubt and skepticism that a woman could handle the pressure of officiating. [6] By working three full seasons, she achieved several firsts, and helped to pave the way for other female umpires who followed, including Pam Postema and Ria Cortesio. [1]
Wren was the first woman to work home plate in a game, calling balls and strikes. [7] In addition, she was the first woman to umpire a major league exhibition game, and the first to umpire a minor league all star game. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum holds her chest protector in their collection, along with some scrapbooks from her officiating days. [8]
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 nicknames as blue due to the tradtional 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.
John Bertrand "Jocko" Conlan was an American baseball umpire who worked in the National League (NL) from 1941 to 1965. He had a brief career as an outfielder with the Chicago White Sox before entering umpiring. He umpired in five World Series and six All-Star Games. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 by the Veterans Committee.
William Joseph Klem, known as "the Old Arbitrator", was an American baseball umpire who worked in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941, spending his entire career in the National League (NL). He worked 18 World Series, which is a major league record. Klem was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.
Harold Douglas Harvey, nicknamed "God", was an umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB), who worked in the National League (NL) from 1962 through 1992.
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.
Donald Anton Denkinger was an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League (AL) from 1969 to 1998. Denkinger wore uniform number 11, when the AL adopted uniform numbers in 1980. He is best remembered for an incorrect safe call he made at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series, which came to be known as The Call.
Joseph Henry West, nicknamed "Cowboy Joe" or "Country Joe", is an American former baseball umpire. He worked in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 to 2021, umpiring an MLB-record 43 seasons and 5,460 games.
Edwin Durwood Merrill was an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League for 23 seasons (1977–1999).
Gregory John Kosc is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1976 to 1999. He officiated in the World Series in 1987 and 1997, and in the All-Star Game in 1981 and 1992. He also worked the American League Championship Series in 1979, 1988 and 1993, and the American League Division Series in 1996 and 1997. Kosc wore uniform number 18 when the American League umpires adopted them in 1980.
Pam Postema is an American former baseball umpire. In 1988 she became the first female baseball umpire to officiate a Major League Baseball spring training game. For her unique contributions to the game, she was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2000.
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.
Ria Cortesio is a former American baseball umpire, working games at the Double A level. In 2007, she became the first woman since Pam Postema in 1989 to work a Major league exhibition game. The 2007 season was her ninth and final professional season and fifth at the Double A level.
William Gustave James Kunkel was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1963, who went on to a career as an American League umpire from 1968 through 1984. As a player, he was listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 187 pounds (85 kg); he both threw and batted right-handed. His son Jeff was a major league shortstop from 1984 to 1992.
Jerome August Neudecker was an American Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1966 to 1985. He wore number 6 when the league adopted uniform numbers in 1980.
William Edward John Deegan is a former Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1971 to 1980. Deegan wore uniform number 17 when the American League adopted them for its umpires in 1980, later worn by John Hirschbeck.
William Edward Haller was an American Major League Baseball umpire. Haller officiated 3,068 regular season games in the American League in 1961 and from 1963 to 1982. He also worked 15 American League Championship Series games in four series, 27 World Series contests in four different years and four All-Star games.
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.
Larry Wayne Vanover 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 two All Star Games, and in the 2016 World Series. He was promoted to crew chief in 2015. Vanover wore sleeve number 28 during his National League tenure, then changed to 27 after his return to the MLB umpiring staff in 2002. At age 69, Larry Vanover is the oldest umpire in major league history.
Alan Marshall Clark is an American former professional baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1976 to 1999, and throughout both Major Leagues in 2000 and 2001. He was fired for misuse of a credit card issued for professional expenses. Three years later, pled guilty to mail fraud for his involvement in a collectibles-selling scheme.
Frederick Charles Spenn is an American former baseball umpire. Spenn was one of the eight minor league replacement umpires who was promoted to the major leagues during the 1979 Major League Umpires Association strike. Spenn wore uniform number 32 when the American League adopted them for its umpires in 1980.