John Kibler, Umpire for Bill Buckner’s Error, Dies at 81

PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — John Kibler, a longtime National League umpire, died here Thursday. He was 81.

Kibler died of a heart attack, his family said. Kibler worked his first major league game in 1963 and was a full-time National League umpire from 1965 through 1989. He worked the World Series four times, and was at first base for Game 6 of the 1986 Series between the Mets and the Boston Red Sox, which the Mets famously won when Mookie Wilson’s ground ball rolled between first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs.

Kibler was the plate umpire for Game 7, when the Mets beat the Red Sox for the championship.

Kibler served in the Navy during the Korean War and left the New York state police to go to umpiring school. He started out as a minor league umpire in the late 1950s and became a major league crew chief in 1977.

He was married for 51 years. Kibler and his wife, Dorothy, had two sons.

Behind the Mask - Drew Coble '75

Though he retired from umpiring in Major League Baseball more than a decade ago, Drew Coble has vivid memories of his days working in the big leagues and the minors. Read on for Coble’s insights into the world of umpiring, as well as his favorite moments of his baseball career.

The umpiring life

A standout catcher and first baseman, Drew Coble (right) led Elon in batting average, hits and RBI in 1973.

Just as it is for ballplayers, the quality of life is far different for umpires in the minor leagues compared with the majors.

After earning one of the two minor-league positions offered at the conclusion of his umpire training course in 1975, Coble started work in the long-season Class A Western Carolina League. Over the next couple of years, he moved up to the higher-level Class-A Carolina League and, in 1977, the Class AA Southern League.

“In the minors, the pay was really low,” Coble recalls. “You had to drive everywhere. You’d drive through the night, and you’d just hope you could get some sleep before you had to work the next night. That’s what the minor leagues were like.”

Coble spent 10 days working in the Southern League before he caught the eye of Barney Deary, the head of minor-league umpires at the time. Deary liked what he saw and promoted Coble to Class AAA, the last stop in minor-league play before the majors. Class AAA was an improvement in lifestyle, but still posed challenges for Coble and his family.

“In triple-A, you fly everywhere, and the money is a little bit better, but it’s not great,” he says. “I had a second job in the wintertime to get enough money for my family to get by.”

One phone call in April 1981 changed all that.

“It was opening day (of the MLB season), and I was sitting at home, watching the Cincinnati Reds on TV,” Coble recalls. “The phone rang, I picked it up, and the person said ‘Drew, this is Dick Butler (head of umpires) of the American League. I want to welcome you to the American League.’”

Though his time in the majors directly following Butler’s call lasted only a few games, Coble returned to the majors for good in June of that year.

Former Elon baseball coach Jerry Drake (left) introduced Coble for his 2007 induction to the Elon Sports Hall of Fame.

“Once you get to the big leagues, you fly everywhere, you stay in first-class hotels, you travel first class,” he says. “It’s just a big, big difference (from the minors).”

Favorite memories in baseball

Over his nearly 20-year career as a major-league umpire, Coble witnessed some amazing moments in baseball. For example, in 1990, he became only the fifth umpire since 1901 to work two no-hitters in a single season; he was on hand for A’s pitcher Dave Stewart’s no-no against the Blue Jays on June 29, and Blue Jays pitcher Dave Steib’s against the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 2.

“When you’re working, you kind of get caught up in the game. Then you realize, ‘Hey, this guy is throwing a no-hitter, and he’s depending on me to make the calls,’” Coble says. “It’s a little bit of pressure.”

As an AL umpire, Coble worked alongside stars and hall-of-famers, including the New York Yankees’ Reggie Jackson, the Kansas City Royals’ George Brett and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Robin Yount. In his first game after being recalled to the major leagues in June 1981, Coble remembers getting to work with A’s manager Billy Martin, a man famously fired and re-hired multiple times by George Steinbrenner when Martin worked for the Yankees.

But perhaps his favorite memory of his career was working the classic 1991 World Series between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves. The series lasted the maximum seven games, three of which went to extra innings. Coble worked the plate for one of those extra-inning affairs, Game 3 in Atlanta, when Mark Lemke’s single to left scored David Justice from second for the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th, giving the Braves a 2-1 victory. The Twins, however, prevailed in the series.

“I had more fun in that World Series than God knows what,” Coble recalls. “(The umpires) had our families with us, and it was like a 10-day vacation. All I had to do was work a couple of hours each night.”

by Kristin Simonetti, Staff

West Vest Gold Chest Protector

West Vest Gold Chest Protector - It’s the top of the line developed by Major League umpire Joe West, manufactured for maximum protection! This chest protector provides you with a level of protection demanded by professional umpires. Accept nothing less then the best. Sized to fit your body; adjustable for comfort. Black only, 12” length. Select your protector based on your coat size. Size S-M for coat sizes under 38. Size M-L for coat sizes 38 to 44. Size L-XL for coat sizes 46 to 54. Sized to fit your body; adjustable for comfort. One of two protectors endorsed by Major League Baseball for use by its umpires. Check out this quality chest protector at MajorLeagueUmpires.com

Harvey Elected to Hall of Fame

Long time National League umpire Doug Harvey has been elected to the Hall of Fame. 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). He umpired in the National League Championship Series nine times – 1970(Games 2-3), 1972, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1984 (Game 5), 1986, 1989 and 1991. Veteran umpire Joe West said “it is a long time coming and we are very proud of him.”

Long time umpire Mike Reilly said this of Harvey, "Doug Harvey was someone I always respected coming up in the minor leagues. I remember my first World Series assignment was in 1984 and I was honored to be chosen to umpire a World Series. Then I found out that I would be umpiring with Doug, it was really special and an honor. It is one of my best umpiring memories."

Senior umpire Ed Montague said of Harvey’s selection, "I am glad the hall recognized Doug, I am real proud of him. Doug set the bar high along with umpires like Shag Crawford and Paul Runge. When I look at Doug I think Hall of Fame."

The WUA and its members salute Doug on this most prestigious lifetime achievement award.

Umpires, MLB Agree on Deal

NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball ensured its first decade of labor peace since the 1960s by agreeing to a five-year contract with umpires that runs through 2014.

The deal announced Wednesday, which is subject to ratification next month, was the second straight achieved without acrimony since a failed mass resignation in 1999 led to 22 umpires losing their jobs.

"I think both sides acted very professionally in trying to work through a tough time, and we ground it out," said World Umpires Association president Joe West, who lost his job in the 1999 dispute and regained it three years later.

Owners are expected to vote on the deal when they meet in the Phoenix area on Jan. 14, and umpires are set for balloting four days later.

Stung by a series of missed calls during the playoffs, management sought increased flexibility on postseason assignments in the new agreement. MLB asked that the prohibition be lifted against umpires working the World Series in consecutive years, a request that some of the union membership had trouble with.

Negotiators said they wouldn't discuss specifics of the deal before ratification, but it is hard to imagine owners agreeing to a contract that didn't include the removal of that restriction.

"As president of our union, my first responsibility is to the game of baseball, my second responsibility is to my profession, and my third responsibility is to do what in my heart I think is right," West said, speaking generally.

"When I say baseball, that doesn't mean the commissioner's office, and when I say umpiring or my profession of umpiring, that doesn't mean the union. ... Whenever we came to something that was tough in contract, we both tried to abide by those rules."

The deal leaves the collective bargaining agreement with players as baseball's next labor negotiation. That expires in December 2011 but both sides seem intent on an early start for bargaining.

"I do believe, me personally, that these negotiations -- the umpires and the players, frankly -- are more complicated than a lot of collective bargaining agreements and that the parties are well served by getting started early," said Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president of labor relations.

New players' association head Michael Weiner had a similar view.

"I would expect bargaining will begin well in advance of the termination date," he said.

The umpires' relationship with management has mirrored that of the players, leading to work stoppages in 1970, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1990, 1991 and 1995. After the 1999 mass resignations backfired, Richie Phillips' Major League Umpires Association was replaced by a new union, the WUA, which negotiated a pair of labor contracts under union president John Hirschbeck. West succeeded Hirschbeck in February.

After a series of eight work stoppages from 1972-95, players and owners reached agreements without strikeouts or lockouts in 2002 and 2006.

The umpires' deal had been set to expire Dec. 31.

"The leadership and professionals of the WUA did an outstanding job working with us to try to get an agreement," Manfred said. "I think we're in a period of time where both sides recognize that our best interests are served by reaching a deal."

- Associated Press

Platinum West Vest Chest Protector

WestVest Platinum Chest Protector

It’s the top of the line developed by Major League umpire Joe West, manufactured for maximum protection! It’s simple: The Platinum fits better! It conforms at your shoulders, and enhanced side pads add comfort and protection. Worn by numerous Major League Umpires.

One of two protectors endorsed by Major League Baseball for use by its umpires. The other is listed above. This protector has the most armor and is the hottest selling protector for both the Minor League umpires and the collegiate ranks.

MLB ump takes part in charity event

BALTIMORE -- The day was gray, but the cause was good.

Major League umpire Chris Guccione and a supporting cast of caring runners participated in the 2009 Baltimore Run for Bears on Saturday, an endeavor that raised $26,000 for the UMPS CARE Charities initiative. The program is designed to help fund visits and Build-A-Bear Workshops to children's hospitals around the country.

"It's very important to me. Not only do I love to run, but I also have a chance to give back to children and put a smile on their faces," said Guccione. "I'm in position to do that, and I was thrilled to fly out here and take some of my time to give back. My wife, Amy, also came out for the trip, and she ran the first leg of the team marathon."

Umpires have visited 41 hospitals in the three years of the program and expect to visit 12 more during the 2010 season. Samuel Dearth, the executive director of the UMPS CARE Charities, said the big league umpires choose the programs they benefit and they also do most of the fundraising.

"The good part about it is they get to put the money to use," he said. "The Baltimore Run for Bears specifically raises money for the children's hospital program. The umpires visit children's hospitals all across the country during the baseball season and provide Build-A-Bear Workshop experiences for kids with cancer and other serious illnesses."

"It's a brief visit," added Guccione, "and it gives children that are in pain a little moment to smile. They get to pick from three or four stuffed animals and they get to pick out the outfits to dress them in. It's just 10 minutes that you spend with a child, but it's 10 minutes where they can forget about everything else in the world. And that's what's important. And then they have a toy they can give to anybody, or they can keep it as a souvenir."

Guccione, who raised more than $2,000 with his wife, flew in from Denver to participate in the event. And it was extra special for him, because he had visited hospitals in Baltimore and Fairfax, Va., over the last two seasons. Guccione, an avid outdoorsman, said the program enabled him to do something he loves for a cause he supports.

"I came out here and I treated it as a workout," he said of his 7.4-mile jaunt. "But I flew halfway across the country to do it. It wasn't that grueling of a run, but I did push myself a little more today because I was trying to beat a personal goal of mine. I wanted to do it in under an hour, which I did, so I'm happy with that."

Several runners joined the fund-raising effort, and they had a choice to run in a team relay, a 5K, a half-marathon or the full marathon. The course started right outside Camden Yards and wound through the Inner Harbor and parts of Fells Point. Guccione, who runs five miles a day five times a week, said the charity helps keep life in perspective.

"Sometimes you worry about the travel or whatever," he said, "and then you think back and say, 'Is it really that tough compared to this small child that's got leukemia?' It brings you back down to earth."

-Spencer Fordin