Jerry Layne

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Jerry Blake Layne (born September 28, 1958 in Pikeville, Kentucky) is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League between 1989 and 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He wore uniform number 24 in the NL, but when MLB merged the AL and NL umpiring staffs in 2000, Layne was forced to switch to number 26, as AL umpire Al Clark, who wore 24 in the junior circuit, had more seniority. But when Clark was fired midway through the 2000 season by MLB, Layne reclaimed number 24 and has worn it ever since.

In October 2005, he umpired in his first World Series. He has also officiated:

the All-Star Game in 1994 and 2001,
3 National League Championship Series (1997, 1999, 2006) and
5 Division Series (1995, 1998, 2002, 2005 NL; 2001 AL).

He was also the home plate umpire when Barry Bonds hit his record 71st home run in 2001, and for the no-hitter pitched by Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 29, 1990 at Dodger Stadium.

On August 18th, 2006, Layne was the plate umpire for a game between the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins. In the 8th inning, he was struck by the barrel of a broken bat swung by the Marlins' Hanley Ramirez. Layne's injury delayed the game for 13 minutes, and he was carted off the field. X-rays were negative and Layne escaped serious injury, suffering only a bruised jaw.