Longtime Baseball Umpire and Supervisor Marty Springstead dies at age 74

All Major League Umpires will be wearing a patch in memory of Marty Springstead this season

Martin John Springstead (July 9, 1937 – January 17, 2012) was a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1966 to 1985 and had since worked as an umpire supervisor. He was the youngest umpire ever to serve as crew chief in the World Series, heading the staff for the 1973 Series at the age of 36 years and 3 months.

Springstead was born in Nyack, New York. Springstead graduated from Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx, where he played basketball and ran track as well as playing baseball. He then attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, majoring in advertising. After a brief playing career as a catcher for American Legion and semi-pro teams, he attended the Al Somers umpiring school and began his career in the Class "C" Northern League in 1960. In 1961-1962 he served in the Army's 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas, where he continued to play in and officiate baseball games. He then worked in the Southern League (1963-65) before joining the AL staff in 1966. Throughout his career he lived in the communities of Garnerville and Suffern, both near his birthplace.

Springstead officiated in the All-Star Game in 1969, 1975, and 1982. In addition to the 1973 World Series, he also worked the 1978 and 1983 Series, again serving as crew chief in 1983. Springstead, who became an AL crew chief in 1974, also officiated four American League Championship Series in 1970 (Games 2-3), 1974, 1977 and 1981. He also officiated in five no-hitters, including being the home plate umpire for two: Clyde Wright's on July 3, 1970 and Mike Warren's on September 29, 1983. Springstead wore uniform number 4 starting in 1980, when the AL adopted numbers. Upon his retirement, the number was assigned to Tim Tschida, who continues to wear No. 4 as a crew chief on MLB's combined umpiring staff.

Springstead retired from field duties after the 1985 season and became the AL's fourth Executive Director of Umpires on January 1, 1986, succeeding Dick Butler. In 2000, when the umpiring staffs of the American and National Leagues were combined, he became a special assistant to Major League Baseball's vice president for umpiring.

He was a popular guest speaker and conducted umpiring clinics for the Japanese Professional Umpires of the Pacific League; in addition, he taught umpiring in Canada and for the United States Air Force in Spain, Holland and Germany. Springstead died of a heart attack on January 17, 2012 while swimming near his home in Sarasota, Florida. He was 74.

Marty's picture is displayed in famous restaurants around the country. At one New York establishment, executive director of Major League Baseball, Sandy Alderson (now with the New York Mets) remarked after seeing Marty's picture, "Maybe someday I'll have my picture on the wall here." Marty snapped, "Not in your lifetime."

Marty was loved by hundreds of people. It was not uncommon for people that were sent to restaurants around the country by Marty to have their meal served "on the house"... Many times the establishments wouldn't even let them leave a tip. All they wanted was for them to "tell Marty we said, 'Hello.' ''

Respected by management, players, and umpires, when news of his death reached the major league umpires at their union meeting, the umpires abruptly called off their meeting in respect of him. Over 50 umpires came to pay their respects at his funeral in Siesta Key, Florida. Sandy Alderson was there, too.

Umpire Doug Harvey Biography

Harold Douglas Harvey (born March 13, 1930, in South Gate, California) is a former umpire in Major League Baseball, who worked in the National League from 1962 through 1992. Noted for his authoritative command of baseball rules, he earned the tongue in cheek nickname "God" from players, and was among the last major league umpires who never attended an umpiring school. His career total of 4,673 games[1] ranked third in major league history at his retirement, and he is only the ninth umpire to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.[1] In 1999 the Society for American Baseball Research ranked Harvey as the second-greatest umpire in history, behind only Bill Klem. In 2007, Referee magazine selected him as one of the 52 most influential figures in the history of sports officiating.

Harvey umpired in five World Series (1968, 1974, 1981, 1984 and 1988), serving as crew chief in 1984 and 1988, and in six All-Star Games (1963, 1964, 1971, 1977, 1982 and 1992), calling balls and strikes for the 1982 and 1992 games. He also set a record by officiating in the National League Championship Series nine times – 1970 (Games 2-3), 1972, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1984 (Game 5), 1986, 1989 and 1991 – serving as crew chief for the last three; his record was later tied by Paul Runge, and broken by Bruce Froemming in 2000. Harvey was the home plate umpire for the single-game playoff to decide the NL's Western Division champion in 1980, between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Harvey began officiating local basketball games at the high school level at age 16, later umpiring softball and baseball. He attended San Diego State College in 1955-56, where he played baseball and football, afterward returning to umpiring in the minor leagues while also officiating college basketball and football games. He remained a resident of San Diego throughout his umpiring career. He umpired in the California League from 1958 to 1960, and in the Pacific Coast League in 1961. He married Joy Ann Glascock on September 24, 1960, and the couple had two sons, Scott and Todd. Upon reaching the majors on April 10,1962, his greatest influences were umpires Al Barlick, Jocko Conlan and Shag Crawford, each of whom gave him invaluable advice in developing his skills – Barlick for his renowned mastery of the rules, Conlan for helping him appreciate the fun of umpiring, and Crawford for his tremendous work ethic. He was easily recognizable due to his thick white hair, which had already gone completely gray when he was in his 30s, leading to the early nickname of "Silver," and in 1971 he grew a handlebar mustache, at a time when no major league field personnel had worn facial hair since the 1940s; he kept it trimmed to the edges of his mouth, and he wore it for one season. In the latter part of his career, Harvey became known for appearing in the "You Make the Call" segments on the televised Game of the Week. In 1974, the Players Association conducted polls of players in both leagues to identify and rank the best umpires (the New York Mets did not participate); Harvey was named the top NL umpire, being the only official in the league rated as "excellent." In 1987, a Sports Illustrated poll of NL catchers ranked him as the third best umpire in the league for calling balls and strikes, with one voter saying he "still cares about doing the best possible job." In 1990, Sport magazine named him the best umpire in the game, citing his unbending application of the rules and noting his campaign to enforce the balk rule two seasons earlier, when he said, "Give me 10 high school pitchers, let me spend a week with them, and I'll show you 10 pitchers who won't balk. It's not that difficult. So they better learn it." Harvey's goal of umpiring until age 65 ended on October 4,1992, at age 62, when knee problems necessitated his retirement. He nonetheless became the first NL umpire since Bill Klem to work for more than 30 years, finishing with 31 years in the major leagues; his 4,673 games then ranked third in major league history behind Klem (5,374) and Tommy Connolly (4,769).

Among the notable games in which Harvey worked was the final game of the 1972 season in which Roberto Clemente collected his 3,000th (and last) base hit off of the New York Mets' Jon Matlack. He was the home plate umpire on September 10, 1963, when brothers Jesus, Matty and Felipe Alou batted consecutively for the San Francisco Giants, and also on June 3, 1987, when the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs hit a combined three grand slams at Wrigley Field.

Harvey regarded his greatest contribution to baseball as being the introduction of a new sense of timing to umpiring; he noted that when he arrived in the major leagues, the emphasis was on making calls quickly and decisively, and said, "Everything was called too quickly. I've got a photograph of Jocko Conlan working first base. Jocko's arm was extended in the out call. But the runner was still short of the bag, and the ball was still in flight. In those days it was common to anticipate the call." Harvey, however, changed attitudes by insisting that it was better to delay the call and make sure it was correct.

In August 1997, Harvey was diagnosed with oral cancer, which was attributed to his longtime use of chewing tobacco. He has since become active in speaking to ballplayers and students about the dangers of tobacco use. He no longer uses the product that caused him to develop oral cancer.

In both 2003 and 2007, Harvey was the leading candidate for the Baseball Hall of Fame in voting by Hall members on the Veterans Committee composite ballot for managers, umpires and executives; however, his totals of 48 and 52 votes in the two elections fell short of the 60 and 62 necessary for election. Under new rules established by the Hall in 2007, he was again eligible for election in 2008, but fell one vote short of the required 12 votes. On July 25, 2010, he was finally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. On December 7, 2009, Harvey was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Hall of Fame Veterans' Committee and was inducted on July 25, 2010.

Umpire Al Barlick Biography

Albert Joseph Barlick (April 2, 1915 – December 27, 1995) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League for 28 seasons (1940–43, 1946–55, 1958–71). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Born in Springfield, Illinois, Barlick served in the Coast Guard during World War II. With his wife Jenny he had two daughters, Marlene and Kathleen.

In a career where he umpired from 1940 to 1971 he'll go down in history as former National League Umpire, Tom Gorman said, "the best I ever saw." His hiring was endorsed by the first ever Hall of Fame Umpire, Bill Klem. At one stage in his career he became so infuriated by National League President, Warren Giles decision not to suspend a player that he quit and went home. Giles begged him to return. He actually worked with Klem and taught umpiring to everyone that would listen. In 1962 he was crew chief of the crew that opened Dodger Stadium. The crew included "Shag" Crawford, Ed Vargo, and newly inducted Hall of Famer (class of 2010) Doug Harvey. All three became deciples of the man they affectionatly called "Moose." Barlick umpired in seven All-Star games (1942, 1949, 1952, 1955, first 1959 game, 1966 and 1970), tying the record held by Bill Summers, and called balls and strikes for the first half of the 1949 through 1966 games and all of the 1970 game. He officiated in seven World Series (1946, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1962 and 1967), serving as crew chief in 1954, 1958 and 1962. He also officiated the three-game playoff series to determine the NL's regular-season champion in both 1959 and 1962 (games 2 and 3), and was crew chief for the first National League Championship Series in 1969. In a poll conducted by the players he was voted the best umpire in the National League. He refused to acknowledge the poll, saying, "What would they know about umpiring?" Before the year was out the umpires conducted their own poll and he again was voted the best. This time he acknowledged the award. Fighting for all umpires, Barlick, along with Augie Donatelli, and "Shag" Crawford, formed the first umpire's union. Known as one of the toughest umpires to ever work in the major leagues, his eyes filled with tears as he accepted his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1989.

For 22 years after he retired, he acted as a consultant to the National League. He was responsible for mentoring Bruce Froemming, John McSherry, Frank Pulli, Terry Tata, Paul Runge, Ed Montague, Jim Quick, Gerald Crawford, Eric Gregg, Joe West, Randy Marsh, Charlie Williams, Steve Rippley, Bob Davidson, Tom Hallion, Greg Bonin, Larry Poncino, Mike Winters, and Ed Rapuano. Though Barlick worked for the National League, he was responsible for getting the American League to hire Drew Coble. He told the American League, "He's to good an umpire to be in the minor leagues and we don't have room for him." Barlick often told his umpires,"Though it's very bad to eject a player when he shouldn't be ejected, it's far worse to keep someone in the game who should be ejected." Barlick believed that you should help all umpires improve, no matter what level they were working... "You may have to work with 'em one day." Barlick died at age 80 in Springfield, Illinois due to cardiac arrest. His body was cremated and the ashes scattered.