The Resume

(June 28, 1937-January 18, 1995)
Born in Endicott, New York
Played pro football with the Detroit Lions (1959) and Buffalo Bills (1960-62)
American League umpire (1969-79)
Color commentator for NBC's 'Game of the Week' (1979-81)
Wrote 'The Umpire Strikes Back,' 'Strike Two,' 'The Fall of the Roman Umpire,' 'Remembrance of Swings Past' and 'Baseball Lite'

Why he might be annoying:

He missed each of his NFL seasons after injuring himself in a preseason game. ('An injury that keeps you out of football the third year is a message.')
He was a showboat who would 'shoot' players out with his index finger.
He received tons of warnings from the AL office about conduct 'unbecoming of a major league umpire.'
He had a running feud with Earl Weaver that got so out of hand he was barred one season from working Orioles games.
He did a screen test for the lead in Cheers, 'But they went with an experienced actor.'
He said, 'Many times I've known I was dead wrong, but I convinced millions of people I was right.'

Why he might not be annoying:

He was an outstanding lineman at Syracuse University, playing for the 1959 championship football team.
He said of his flamboyance, 'I get excited. The other umpires claim I should be demure, and they're always telling me to stop jumping around. I can't. I get involved. That's me.'
His sense of humor and colorful personality made him popular with fans and the press.
Weaver admitted he was 'one of the few umpires people have paid their way into the park to see.'
In a 1974 poll of players, he was one of only two AL umpires rated 'excellent.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Baseball Umpires
• Buffalo Bills
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 34]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [June] (Ranked: 6281937)
• Detroit Lions
• Football Players
• I Attended Syracuse University
• I Committed Suicide
• I Died in 1995 (Ranked: 57)
• I Died in the City I Was Born In
• Look at My Book Cover
• Profiles 30751-31000 (Ranked: 30763)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying