NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME, COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK
Hall of fame umpires have been few and far in between. Throughout the History of Baseball there have only been nine Umpires inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The first two were inducted on the same day in 1953.
WILLIAM J. KLEM
(BILL)
Elected to the Hall in 1953 was born in 1874 in Rochester, NY.
Bill was know as “The Old Arbitrator,” He umpired in the National League for 37 years and retired in 1941. He worked only behind the plate because of his excellent consistency of the strike zone. He is know as the “Father of Modern Day Umpire
THOMAS SENRY CONNOLY
(TOM)
Elected to the Hall in 1953 was born in 1870 in Manchester, England.
Tom was one of the first two umpires inducted into the Hall. Umpired in the National league for two years then to the American league and retired in 1931. He worked the American Leagues first game on April 24, 1901. Connolly was appointed the leagues first umpire-in-chief and served in that capacity until 1954.
WILLIAM GEORGE EVANS
(BILLY)
Elected to the Hall in 1973 was born 1884 in Chicago, IL.
Billy was at the time the youngest umpire in league history in 1906 at the age of 22. His career lasted until 1927 and after retiring he became an executive for many MLB Teams.
JOHN BERTRAND CONLAN
(JOCKO)
Elected to the hall in 1974 was born in 1899 in Scottsdale, Az.
Jocko became an umpire by accident as umpire Red Ormsby was over taken with heat exhaustion during a White Sox – Browns game in 1935. He was asked to fill in for Red and the next year became an umpire. He became a National League umpire in 1941 and retired in 1964
ROBERT CALVIN HUBBARD
(CAL)
Elected to the hall in 1976 was born in 1900 in Keytesville, Mo.
Cal became an American League umpire in 1936. He worked the minor leagues for eight seasons. A hunting accident cut his umpiring career short he retired in 1951. He was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as the College Hall. He owns that distinction as being first.
ALBERT JOSEPH BARLICK
(AL)
Elected to the Hall in 1989 was born in 1915 in Springfield, Il.
Al worked in the National League for 27 seasons. His five decades as an umpire are remarkable. He began his umpire career in 1940 at age 25. He retired in 1971.
WILLIAM ALOYSIUS McGOWAN
(BILL)
Elected to the Hall in 1992 was born in 1896 in Wilmington, De.
Bill had a thirty year career as an umpire in the American League starting in 1925. He had a colorful style and never changed throughout his career. He umpired 2,541 consecutive games. Bill was known as the “iron man” among umpires.
NESTOR L. CHYLAK JR
Elected to the Hall in 1999 was born in 1922 in Dunmore, Pa.
Nestor fought in the Battle of the Bulge and received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart and was seriously wounded in battle.
He umpired for 25 years in the American League beginning his career as an umpire in 1954. He suffered a mild stroke and was forced to retire in 1978. He was stationed at first base when Bill Mazeroski hit his homerun in the 1960 World Series to win the seventh game.
HAROLD DOUGLAS HARVEY
(DOUG)
Elected to the Hall in 2010 was born in 1930 in South Gate, Ca.
Doug was a National League umpire crew chief for 18 years. He worked 31 seasons and a total of 4,673 games. He mentored many young umpires and his main emphasis was on timing. He was well know as an umpire who controlled the game. He worked the plate in Game One of the World Series in 1988 when Kirk Gibson hit his famous pinch hit homerun.
THERE ONLY NINE ON THE LIST OF HALL OF FAME UMPIRES
