Tim Welke
| Tim Welke | |
|---|---|
 Welke in April 2013 | |
| Born |
August 23, 1957 Pontiac, Michigan |
| Occupation | MLB umpire |
| Height | 6' 3" |
| Weight | 230 lb. |
Timothy James Welke (born August 23, 1957) is an American professional baseball umpire. He worked in the American League from 1984 to 1999 and has worked throughout Major League Baseball since 2000. He has been a crew chief since 2000 and currently wears uniform number 3. His brother Bill is also a major league umpire. Tim has umpired in four World Series, seven League Championship Series, six Division Series and two All-Star Games.
Minor league career
A youth baseball umpire since the age of 16, Welke entered minor league umpiring in 1977. He appeared in the Gulf Coast League (1977), Florida State League (1978–79), Eastern League (1980), American Association (1981–83), Florida Instructional League (1977–80) and Dominican Winter League (1981–83) prior to his major league promotion in 1984.[1]
MLB career
Welke umpired in the World Series in 1996, 2000, 2003, and 2008. He also worked the League Championship Series in 1991, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2011; and the Division Series in 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2008. He served as crew chief for the NLCS in 2004 and 2006, the ALCS in 2011 and the ALDS in 1995 and 2000. He was also the crew chief for the 2008 World Series. He umpired in the All-Star Game in 1990 and 2005.[1]
Welke spent 2005 and 2008-2010 on the same umpiring crew as his brother Bill.[1]
Notable games
On April 29, 1986, he was the first base umpire when Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox achieved a record 20 strikeouts against the Seattle Mariners.[2]
Welke ejected Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox from game six of the 1996 World Series,[3] the most recent World Series ejection.[4]
Welke was also the first base umpire for Roy Halladay's perfect game on May 29, 2010, coincidentally, his brother Bill worked at third base that same game.
In a May 2, 2012 game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, Welke made a controversial out call at first base against Jerry Hairston, Jr. though first baseman Todd Helton's foot came well off of the bag. Welke later admitted that he had missed the call. Hairston subsequently defended Welke and described him as "a really good umpire for a long time."[5]
Personal
Welke lives in his native state of Michigan. He graduated from Coldwater High School and attended Glen Oaks Community College. He is married with three children.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Umpires: Roster - Tim Welke". Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 3, Seattle Mariners 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ↑ Cyphers, Luke (October 27, 1996). "Game 6 Play-by-play". New York Daily News. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
- ↑ "World Series Ejections". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
- ↑ Gurnick, Ken (May 27, 2012). "Hairston receives apology from umpire". MLB.com. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
External links
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