Larry Sanders McCoy (born May 19, 1941 in Essex, Missouri) is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1970 to 1999.
McCoy worked in the World Series in 1977 and 1988. He also umpired in six American League Championship Series (1973, 1976, 1980, 1986, 1990 and 1997) and three All-Star games (1978, 1985 and 1996), calling balls and strikes for the 1985 game. McCoy worked in the American League Division Series in 1981, 1995 and 1998. He was the third base umpire on April 20, 1986, when Roger Clemens became the first pitcher to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game. [1] [2] McCoy was also the first base umpire for David Cone's perfect game on July 18, 1999. He was the plate umpire for the Ten Cent Beer Night held by the Cleveland Indians on June 4, 1974, that ended in a forfeit win for the Texas Rangers. [3] He was also the home plate umpire in Phil Niekro's 300th career win in Toronto on October 6, 1985. [4]
McCoy wore uniform number 10 when the American League adopted uniform numbers in 1980. He was the first American League umpire to work home plate in the World Series wearing an inside chest protector, doing so during Game 3 of the 1977 World Series. Through 1974, all AL umpires were required to use the outside chest protector, while the NL had adopted the inside chest protector for decades under the leadership of Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem. Starting in 1977, new AL umpires had to use the inside protector; umpires already on staff were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector. McCoy began using the inside protector in 1977.
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.
John Edward "Beans" Reardon was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1926 to 1949. He worked five World Series and three All-Star Games.
James Bremond Evans is a former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League (AL) from 1971 to 1999, and ran a professional umpiring school from 1990 through 2012.
Donald Anton Denkinger is a former Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the American League 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 Norbert Brinkman is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League (AL) from 1972 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 until his retirement during the 2006 season.
Stephen Michael Palermo was an umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1977 to 1991. His field career ended when he was shot in the back following his decision to intervene and apprehend the assailants in an altercation outside Campisi's, a Dallas Italian restaurant. He wore uniform number 14 when the American League began using uniform numbers for its umpires in 1980, and the number was never reassigned to another AL umpire until after the AL and NL umpire staffs were unified by MLB in 2000.
Michael Eugene Reilly is a former Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1977 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 to 2010. Upon Ed Montague's retirement in February 2010, Reilly became Major League Baseball's senior umpire; his 4,362 career games ranked ninth in major league history entering the 2010 season. He retired on February 23, 2011, along with fellow umpires Jerry Crawford and Chuck Meriwether.
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.
Richard Raul Garcia is a 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.
Louis John DiMuro was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1963 until his death.
Martin John Springstead was an umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1966 to 1985 and had since worked as an umpire supervisor. He was the youngest umpire ever to serve as crew chief in the World Series, heading the staff for the 1973 Series at the age of 36 years and 3 months.
David Robert Phillips is a retired umpire, first with the American League from 1971 to 1999, then with both leagues from 2001 to 2002. Phillips wore uniform number 7 when the American League adopted uniform numbers for its umpires in 1980, and retained the number when the staffs merged in 2000.
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.
Eric Richard Cooper was an American professional baseball umpire, whose Major League Baseball (MLB) career spanned 1999 until his death in October 2019. He wore umpire uniform number 56. As a Major League umpire, Cooper officiated in ten Division Series, four League Championship Series, three Wild Card Games, one All-Star Game, and one World Series.
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.
Alan Marshall Clark is a former professional baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1976 to 1999, and throughout both Major Leagues in 2000 and 2001, wearing uniform number 24 when the American League adopted them for its umpires in 1980, then retained the number when the NL and AL staffs were merged in 2000. Clark umpired 3,392 major league games in his 26-year career. He umpired in two World Series, two All-Star Games, five American League Championship Series, and three American League Division Series. Clark worked second base in the 1978 one-game playoff between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, which the Yankees won 5–4. He was the home plate umpire in Nolan Ryan's 300th career win on July 31, 1990.
Vito Henry "Vic" Voltaggio is a former professional baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1977 to 1996. Voltaggio umpired 2,118 major league games in his 20-year career. He umpired in a World Series, an All-Star Game, and three American League Championship Series. He was one of the last umpires to join the American League using the outside chest protector, which he used in 1977 and 1978. He wore uniform number 26 when the league adopted uniform numbers in 1980.
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.
