Joe West (umpire)
| 22 - Joe West |
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| West in 2011. |
| MLB debut |
| 1976 |
| Umpiring Crew |
| N |
| Crew Members |
| Joe West (Crew Chief) |
| Ángel Hernández (umpire) |
| Paul Schrieber |
| Rob Drake |
| Career highlights and awards |
Two All- Star Games (1987, 2005)
Five Division Series (1995, 2002, 05, 09, 11)
Seven League Championship Series (1981, 86, 88, 93, 96, 2003-04)
Four World Series (1992, 97, 2005, 09) |
Joseph Henry West (born October 31, 1952) is an umpire in Major League Baseball, and the president of the World Umpires Association.[1] West worked in the National League in 1976 and from 1978 to 1999. In 1999, West was among 22 umpires, whom the union claimed were illegally terminated when they engaged in a failed mass resignation strategy. Through arbitration and successful appeals it was ordered that he be rehired by MLB in 2002 and has worked throughout both major leagues since that time. In less than three months, he was promoted to a crew chief position. Nicknamed "Cowboy Joe," he is also known for being a singer/songwriter. He has umpired in the World Series in 1992, 1997, 2005, and 2009, serving as crew chief in 2005. He also umpired in the All-Star Game in 1987 and 2005, calling balls and strikes the second time. He has officiated in seven League Championship Series (NL: 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1996; AL 2003, 2004) and 5 Division Series (NL 1995, 2011; AL 2002, 2005, 2009). He has worn number 22 throughout his career. As of the 2011 season, West is Major League Baseball's most senior umpire. As President for the World Umpires Association, West and the union's Governing Board (with the help of Union Negotiator Brian Lam) negotiated the largest contract in the history of Major League Baseball for their umpires. The contract runs from 2010 through the 2014 season.
College career
West was for three years the starting quarterback at Elon College (now Elon University), during which time they won three conference championships and he was MVP on the 1973 team which played against an Abilene Christian team led by Clint Longley and Wilbert Montgomery for the Division 1 NAIA National Title. Elon lost the game. He left Elon holding three passing records that would not be broken for 20 years, and was inducted into the Elon Sports Hall of Fame in the same class as the legendary Kay Yow, North Carolina State's Women's Basketball Coach.
Other activities
West is known outside of umpiring as a singer/songwriter and has performed with such artists as Merle Haggard, Bonnie Owens, Bobby Mackey, Box Car Willie, Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee, Jason Scheff, Skunk Baxter, Les Dudek, Rick Seratte, T.G. Sheppard, Ray and Ron Herndon, The Four Guys, The Jones Boys (George Jones' band), The Statesiders (Mel Tillis' band) and Charlie McCoy and the Hee Haw Band. He has released two albums, Blue Cowboy, a full blown Country and Western production of three originals and eight covers and Diamond Dreams, which tells stories about things that have happened in baseball and has an up-tempo song about going to a baseball game. It's distributed on Good and Western Records and was released February 29, 2008. Both albums can be found at www.cowboyjoewest.com.
West performs with Ray and Ron Herndon at "Handle Bar J's" in Scottsdale, AZ whenever he works the Diamondback games and prior to the "Umps Care" Tournament held in late January every year. He also,is a nightly performer at "John A's Little Palace" in Nashville, TN whenever he's in Nashville. He has performed at the Alameda County Fair, the North Carolina State Fair, the Palamino Club (in North Hollywood), the Nashville Palace (Nashville, TN), and with the Hee Haw Band at the Grand Ole Opry.
In the spring of 2010, West and former Detroit Pitcher Bill Slayback, with the permission of Mike McClure, changed McClure's song "When The Dodgers Were In Brooklyn" into a tribute to Hall of Fame Announcer Ernie Harwell. Harwell called Slayback to thank him and West for the tribute. The day Harwell died, the Oakland A's played the song and video on the scoreboard as their tribute to Harwell. The song was never released. It can be found on YouTube.[2]
February 2011, West and Haley Swindell (George Steinbrenner's granddaughter) were the featured vocalists at the "Jazz Meets Baseball" concert held at the Manchester Craftsmans Guild in Pittsburgh. This was West's first performance with the "all girls" Jazz Band known as "Diva."
West has made one film appearance, playing the Third Base Umpire in the 1988 comedy The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad![3]
West designed and patented the chest protector, sold commercially as the "West Vest", now marketed by Wilson Sporting Goods.[4] He designed all of Wilson's high-end umpiring gear, which is the only equipment endorsed by Major League Baseball for use by its umpires. Many of the Major League Staff umpires use one of West's patented chest protectors.
He is an avid golfer and a member of the Celebrity Players Tour.
Praises
- In 2004, West and his crew were involved in the 2004 ALCS Game 6, when Yankees batter Alex Rodriguez appeared to swat at opposing pitcher Bronson Arroyo on his way to first base. After a conference, the umpires ruled Rodriguez out for interference, resulting in fans throwing debris on the field, Red Sox Manager Terry Francona pulling his team off the field, and NYPD officers in riot gear taking the field to calm the crowd. The following day, after fans had seen the replay which showed interference, they allegedly applauded the umpires for their correct call the night before.[5]
- In a November 2007 study by The Hardball Times, Joe West was rated as one of the most consistent balls-strikes umpires in the game.[6]
- In 2011, Joe West was named the 5th best umpire in Major League Baseball in a players-only poll, with 5% of the votes. However, he was also named the worst umpire in the same poll by 41 percent of players polled.[7]
- On September 4, 2011, West would receive praise from ESPN umpiring consultant Jim McKean for a proper use of instant replay in calling Phillies right fielder Hunter Pence out because of spectator interference. MLB Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations Joe Torre would agree, ruling that West properly employed instant replay to rule spectator interference. Though this is praise for West, it is also a criticism, as seen below.[8]
Criticisms
- In 2006, the spring after he was Crew Chief of the World Series, West was ranked the 4th worst umpire in the major leagues in a survey of major league players.[9] In a similar 2010 poll also just after he worked the World Series, West ranked as the 2nd worst umpire in the league. Only 100 players were polled.[10]
- On May 26, 2010, during a game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, West first ejected Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén in the second inning after a balk call. Guillen had gone out to protect his pitcher, Mark Buehrle. One inning later, Buehrle himself was ejected after he allegedly threw his glove in protest of another balk call. After the game, Buehrle said "I think he's too worried about promoting his CD and I think he likes seeing his name in the papers a little bit too much instead of worrying about the rules." White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said "Sometimes he thinks... people pay to watch him umpire. No matter what you say, what you do, how long you talk here, Major League Baseball doesn’t do... anything."[11] Guillen, and Buehrle were later fined for their involvement.[12]
- In 2010, West sparked controversy by criticizing the slow pace of the recently-completed Yankees/Red Sox series, which he called "their compliance to the Commissioner's edict on pace of game, pathetic and embarrassing."[13] West was not fined by Major League Baseball for his comments, but was "admonished firmly", according to press reports.[14]
- On September 4, 2011, West once again sparked controversy and overturned a double hit by Hunter Pence, ruling fan interference after viewing a replay. Replay in Major League Baseball currently only allows reviews to be used to determine whether batted balls are potential home runs.[15]
- Former Major League pitcher Curt Schilling said that West "often times acts like he'd rather be any place in the world other than the field".[16]
Career highlights
- September 14, 1976 West umpired his first game in the National League.
- October 13, 1981 West became the youngest National League Umpire to umpire a League Championship Series. He was 28.
- May 9, 1984: West ejected two television cameramen from Shea Stadium when they allowed the Mets to view replays of a controversial play at the plate in which Hubie Brooks was called out. The Mets won the game against Atlanta 3–1, with Ron Darling getting the win.
- In 1986 West was the plate umpire when Dwight Gooden and Nolan Ryan squared up and set the League Championship record for the most strike outs by the starting pitchers in an LCS.
- West was behind the plate for the first games Dwight Gooden and Greg Maddux ever pitched in the Major Leagues.
- West was behind the plate in the League Championship Game between the Dodgers and Mets when Mets Manager Dave Johnson requested that he check Dodger Pitcher, Jay Howell's glove. West and Crew Chief Harry Wendelstedt agreed that the glove was covered with "pine tar" and Howell was ejected.
- September 28, 1988, West was an umpire when Orel Hershiser set the Major League record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched.[17]
- July 23, 1991: After Cincinnati pitcher Rob Dibble threw a ball at Cub Doug Dascenzo and was thrown out of the game, West was bumped by Cubs Andre Dawson in the same game; Dawson was suspended for one game and fined $1000. On the check he wrote to the league, Dawson wrote in the memo "donation to the blind."
- 1990: NL president Bill White was prepared to suspend umpire Joe West for slamming Philadelphia pitcher Dennis Cook to the ground while breaking up an on field brawl, but commissioner Fay Vincent intervened and no discipline was imposed.
- West was on the crew that worked the first playoff game ever played in Canada (Dodgers at Expos in 1981) and was behind the plate in the first ever World Series Game played in Canada (Braves at Toronto in 1992) and ejected Braves' Manager Bobby Cox for throwing a helmet onto the field.
- West was behind the plate for Albert Pujois' 400th home run, Willie McCovey's 500th home run, and at first base for Nolan Ryan's fifth no-hitter. He was at first base when Pete Rose tied the modern day record in the National League for most consecutive games with a hit and he was behind the plate when he broke it the following day.
- West was the home plate umpire for Clay Buchholz's no hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on September 1, 2007 at Fenway Park, and called a knee-high curveball strike three for the final out.
- West's career has spanned the tenure of Commissioners Bowie Kuhn, Peter Ueberroth, Bart Giamatti, Fay Vincent, and the current Commissioner Bud Selig.
- West is 10th all time for most seasons worked as a Major League Umpire, 16th all time for most games umpired (4,186), 10th all time for the number of post season games umpired (87).
- West has umpired games for 32 different Hall of Fame Players and 9 members of the Hall that were managers during his career. During his career he's also worked with two Hall of Fame Umpires.
- July 30, 2009 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Joe worked his 4000th game.
- West was behind home plate for the final game of the 2009 World Series between the Phillies and Yankees.
Notes
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
West, Joe |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
October 31, 1952 |
| Place of birth |
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| Date of death |
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