Nestor Chylak

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Nestor George Chylak, Jr. (May 11, 1922 - February 17, 1982) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1954 to 1978.

He was born in Olyphant, Pennsylvania of Ukrainian descent, and attended the University of Scranton. During World War II, he served in the Army in Europe; during the Battle of the Bulge, he was wounded by shrapnel from an exploding shell, an injury which nearly cost him his sight. He earned both the Silver Star and Purple Heart during his service. After the war's end, he began umpiring amateur baseball in 1946, and returned briefly to college. He first worked in the minor leagues in 1947, reaching the majors seven years afterward. He died in 1982 and is survived by his wife Sue, his sons Robert and William, and his grandsons and grandaughters Matt, Beth, William Jr, Sarah, Daniel, Joseph, and Nicholas.

Nestor Chylak
is a member of
the Baseball
Hall of Fame

He umpired in 3 ALCS, including the first one played (1969, 1972, 1973), and in 5 World Series (1957, 1960, 1966, 1971, 1977), serving as the crew chief in 1971 (in which he called balls and strikes in the decisive Game 7) and 1977. He also worked in 6 All-Star Games: 1957, 1960 (both games), 1964, 1973 and 1978, calling balls and strikes in the second 1960 game and in 1973. After retiring from the field in 1978, he became an assistant league supervisor of umpires. Among his noteworthy games were Sandy Koufax's final game in the 1966 Series; "Ten Cent Beer Night" [1] in Cleveland in 1974, where it was necessary for him to declare a forfeit due to constant fighting which spread onto the field and which saw Chylak hit over the head with a chair; and the first major league game ever played in Toronto, in 1977 during a snowstorm at Exhibition Stadium, for which he was the home plate umpire.

Chylak died of a heart attack at age 59 in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

[edit] Quotes

"I umpired for 25 years and can honestly say I never called one wrong in my heart. The way I see it, an umpire must be perfect on the first day of the season and then get better every day."
"Ballplayers will cheat under any circumstances if they think they can get away with it. Our job is to prevent it."
"This must be the only job in America that everybody knows how to do better than the guy who’s doing it."