Umpire-Empire Reporter

Umpire who made baseball history honored during Black History MonthPasadena Star-News By Janette Williams, Staff Writer Emmett Ashford, the first African-American umpire in major league baseball, will be honored by the Baseball Reliquary as part of Black History Month in Pasadena. Ashford's daughter, Adrienne Ashford, lives in Pasadena. View the full article

Bleacher Report Umpire School Receives Baseball's Death Penalty for Racist Party JokeBleacher Report Former MLB umpire Jim Evans' Academy for Professional Umpiring has been given baseball officiating's death penalty by Minor League Baseball. When Jim Evans opened his Academy for Professional Umpiring in 1989, the 28-year MLB veteran revitalized the ... and more » View the full article

Umpires Call Foul Still Waiting For PaychecksKMGH Denver The money should have been put into an account and used to pay umpires only," said unpaid umpire David Peters. Peters is owed $400 from fall baseball. He's now among a group of seven umpires who are considering a lawsuit against the assigner. View the full article

Local Man Will Speak Major League Umpire ExperienceiBerkshires.com In 2000, the North Adams resident decided that he wanted to be a big-league umpire. He enrolled in the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring in Kissimmee, Fla., and shortly after completing his training was assigned to the New York-Penn League. View the full article

Trash Talk: When Ubaldo Jimenez grows up, I'd love to see him hit a guy and then say, "I threw at him because I don't like him." Of course, I'd prefer he not throw at anybody in the first place, but I try to have dreams that are attainable. View the full article

Negro League greats from Topeka inducted into Kansas hallTopeka Capital Journal ... Young — as well as former KU coach Dave Bingham, former Wichita State and LA Dodgers pitcher Darren Dreifort, umpire Bob Homolka, Lawrence native and major league first baseman Lee Stevens and National Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Arky Vaughan. View the full article

Academies provide aspiring umps tools of tradeMLB.com These three are the only facilities whose students will be eligible to be chosen by the Professional Baseball Umpires Corp. (PBUC) to move on and claim open jobs umpiring Minor League Baseball games. The candidates are evaluated at the schools for the ... View the full article

Trash Talk: By comparison to Yankees-Red Sox, the feud between the Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays is sparkling and crisp. The venom is relatively fresh. View the full article

Salina umpire Homolka to join state's baseball hall of fameSalina.com "When I started, I was home schooled," he said. "Right away I got mixed up with some of the best umpires around. "When I was in Iowa, going to school, one of my friends was Don Denkinger, and Jim Evans was a good friend of mine. and more » View the full article

Salina umpire Homolka to join state's baseball hall of fameSalina Journal In 1995, before he got the College World Series assignment, Homolka lived a dream when he got a call from Major League Baseball to work as a replacement during the umpire strike. It started toward the end of spring training and lasted only until early ... and more » View the full article

Aspiring umpires' paths start at Florida schoolsMLB.com "We're selling a dream and it is achievable," says Major League umpire Hunter Wendelstedt, who took over the school that bears his name from his father, former longtime big-league umpire Harry. "It's the best thing in the world. View the full article

Hunter Wendelstedt talks about his umpire school MLB.com The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, ... and more » View the full article http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20073601&c_id=mlb

Kansas.com Bob Lutz: Garden City umpire gets the call to make the callsKansas.com There was one umpire opening this offseason — long-time arbiter Bill Hohn retired — and Tichenor was the chosen one. He'll report to spring training on March 1 and ready himself for a 130-game haul. For the past three seasons, he has been one of 22 ... View the full article

Baseball umpires hold charityKPHO Phoenix UMPS Care Charities hosted their seventh annual Golf Classic Fundraiser. The tournament was sold out and featured Major League umpires and some current and retired baseball players. "Six months we are out on the field getting yelled at and working our ... View the full article

HBT: Hall of Fame catcher's "condition was visibly worsening" in his fight against brain cancer. View the full article

TribLocal Former Major League Umpire to speak at Lake Zurich Rotary FridayTribLocal By David Wheelock Yesterday at 2:04 pm Author and former Major League Baseball Umpire Dick Cavenaugh is stopping by the Lake Zurich Rotary Club this coming Friday to speak about his latest book – Just About- But Not Quite – A collection of true life ... View the full article

Baseball Nation Joe Torre's Departure An Opportunity For ProgressBaseball Nation The game ended in a Braves victory when home plate umpire Jerry Meals called Julio Lugo safe at home on this controversial play. After reviewing video of the play following the game, Meals admitted that he probably got the call wrong, that Lugo was out ... and more » View the full article

National Post Former AL umpire Marty Springstead dead at 74Wall Street Journal AP NEW YORK — Marty Springstead, who at the age of 36 in 1973 became the youngest umpire crew chief in World Series history, has died. He was 74. Major League Baseball said Wednesday that Springstead was found dead at his home in Florida on Tuesday ... Former umpire Springstead diesFox News Former American League umpire Marty Springstead is dead at age 74Winnipeg Free Press all 85 news articles » View the full article

Central Florida News 13 MLB umpire's sharp eye keeps streets safe in Daytona Beach ShoresCentral Florida News 13 Ed Hicox is a detective in the Daytona Beach Shores Police Dept., and a Major League Baseball umpire. By Saul Saenz, Reporter Ed Hicox is one of only 68 Major League Baseball umpires in the country. "In 1999, due to a union labor dispute, ... and more » View the full article

Prospect native Jerry Layne enjoyed Series, Game 7Marion Star While the viewers at home might have had a comfortable spot to watch the game, the guy with the best vantage point was former Prospect resident Jerry Layne. Layne, an Elgin High School graduate, was the umpire crew chief for the World Series, ... and more » View the full article

His day in the sunCoeur d'Alene Press His daughter, Tiffany, won two state titles in softball, which Torben also umpired before leaving to focus on baseball. "I was one of those loud fans," Begines said. "I used to yell at games and then decided to get into (umpiring). ... View the full article

Baseball Nation Perry Barber Responds: We Got It Right On Women UmpiresBaseball Nation Barber was particularly struck by the quoted portion of the Q&A with MLB umpire Tim McClelland. Recall that McClelland had responded to a question from a woman interested in becoming an umpire: "The thing to do is go to umpire school, try your best, ... and more » View the full article

PARADISE VALLEY, Arizona (AP) -Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has been given a two-year contract extension through the 2014 season. View the full article

HBT: Despite an earlier report saying the Nats weren't after the slugger, Prince Fielder is still very much a target for the team, as owners met with agent Scott Boras on Wednesday. View the full article

HBT: There has been some talk that the Seattle Mariners are among the frontrunners to land Prince Fielder, but one writer says that talk is 'extremely overblown'. View the full article