1967 World Series

[zm1283]

The 1967 WS is on the MLB Network today. It is really funny to watch the way the umpires used to do things. U2 starts outside the infield with a runner on first and makes the call on a steal play while shuffling across the cutout toward F4. His safe call looks more like a bird flapping its wings. There was no such thing as timing, especially on tag plays or plays at first. The PU in Game 2 is almost ducking as the batter is about to swing. Almost all of them make calls on the run.

The beanies and coats on the bases are pretty sweet though.

Not criticizing these guys, but it's funny when you hear people (fans) claim that umpires now aren't as good as they used to be.

[Umpire in Chief]

I agree. I like watching the older games on TV and watching the umps. They literally got their nose in the plays, forget about getting set. Forget about timing or getting too close to a play and having the play blow up on you. Umpiring is an evolving sport.

[Rich Ives]

Forget about how they looked doing it - did they get the calls right

More of the time

Less of the time

At the same rate

Nothing else really matters.

[jnazz]

That's funny. That reminds me, a few years back I watched some old time highlights from the 40's and 50's. They showed a play at the plate which was close but the catcher obviously dropped the ball. On the play the umpire called the runner out immediatly and then changed the call to safe when he saw the ball on the ground with the "wing flapping" safe call. The commentator said something like, "Great job by the umpire on that call. His quick reactions made him change the call once he saw the ball dropped." It made me chuckle. Timing definatley wasn't relavent.

[zm1283]

Forget about how they looked doing it - did they get the calls right

More of the time

Less of the time

At the same rate

Nothing else really matters.

There's no way to know really. My point wasn't about right or wrong calls, just the mechanics used and the overall way they did things. If I were to guess, I would say there were more missed calls then because the mechanics were not as sound and the training has evolved quite a bit since then, but I don't have any way to know that for sure. If umpires now made every call on the run and didn't have any concept of timing, you would think there would be more missed calls.

[gejoe00]

I umpired my first game in 1948 when I was 12 years old, had no equipment and stood behind the mound to call balls and strikes. Mechanics,,, what was that..... I had to learn on my own until some other umps told me what and how to do it. Got some GOOD advice and some BAD advice. I got a old catchers mask and got behind the plate and got beat up from catchers who didn't know how to catch. You never changed a call, NO MATTER how bad it was, cause if you did it was hell from then on. Mechanics started to come into play around the sixties or so in my case and I saw the wisdom of it right away. When I started I was a HOT HEAD. Come out and argue with me and I would chew you out but wiser heads told me to cool it, listen, and explain your call, and play ball. I STILL LOVE THE GAME, YOU SEE, I NEVER GREW UP.

[dumbdumb]

Well 1967 saw the St. Louis Cardinals vs Boston Red Sox and won by St. Louis in 7 games with Bob Gibson winning games 1, 4, and 7

Future American League supervisor, Johnny Stevens, was in back of the bat and the crew chief for the first game. 1B was future hall of famer from the NL, Al Barlick. 2B was Frank Umont, a former tackle for the NY Giants, and also the first to wear spectacles while umpiring. 3B was another future NL supervisor with Barlick, Augie Donatelli. Left Field was Ed Runge, father of future NL umpire Paul Runge, and grandfather of MLBU Brian Runge. Right Field was Paul Pryor who later started his own travel bag company.

And in bringing up the supervisors. Anyone who doesn't like the senior umpires now or the ones who have retired in the last few years, you can blame Barlick, Donatelli, and administrator Blake Cullen from the NL and Johnny Stevens, Hank Soar and administrator Dick Butler from the AL. Cullen reported to League President Chub Feeney and Butler reported to Lee McPhail and they all reported to Bowie Kuhn who has the final say on things in the best interest in baseball. Marty Springstead took over in the AL for Butler Jan. 1986 along with assistants Larry Napp, and Jerry Neudecker, with Scott and Tschida moving up to the AL in April and Ed Vargo in the NL, in 1984 or 85 for Cullen and Hallion and Bonin went up under Vargo in 86. Runge took over briefly in 98 till the strike in the NL. Anyone hired prior to the 99 strike that someone thinks are not very good umpires can blame it on them. Of course there was Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, Bart Giamatti, Fay Vincent and acting commissioner Bud Selig till 98 who all have the final say in the best interests of baseball on all matters, and can overrule anything that deals with baseball. Starting with those hired during the 99 strike, all new hires can be blamed on those that Selig has hired in reorganizing the umpire department at the MLB level. No matter what, they all have plenty of "time" to scout the umpires at the MiLB level to make sure they are getting the best of the best. They absolutely do not have to make any knee jerk decision's on who or whom to hire.

[jjb]

I was in the centerfield bleachers for game #1 of this series. I was 15 years old., and brought my 11-year old brother. I couldn't tell you which umpire was where. It didn't matter.