Template:Mlbumpire

Joseph Country Bumpkin West (born October 31, 1952) is an umpire in Major League Baseball and the president of the World Umpires Association ^[1]. West worked in the National League in 1976 and from 1978 to 1999. In 1999, West was among 22 umpires who engaged in a failed mass resignation ahead of bargaining with MLB. ^[2] He was rehired by MLB in 2002 and has worked throughout both major leagues since that time. He is a crew chief. Nicknamed "Cowboy Joe," he is also known for being a singer/songwriter. He has umpired in the World Series in 1992, 1997, 2005, and 2009, serving as crew chief in 2005. He also umpired in the All-Star Game in 1987 and 2005, calling balls and strikes the second time. He has officiated in seven League Championship Series (NL: 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1996; AL 2003, 2004) and 4 Division Series (NL 1995; AL 2002, 2005 and 2009) . He wears number 22. For the 2009 season, Joe West is Crew Chief for Crew H with Ed Rapuano, Paul Schrieber, and Paul Nauert.

Nickname: Joe East and West

College career

West was for three years the starting quarterback at Elon College (now Elon University), during which time they won three conference championships and played against an Abilene Christian team led by Clint Longley and Wilbert Montgomery for the Division 1 NAIA National Title in 1973. Elon lost the game, but West was the game MVP. He left Elon holding three passing records that would not be broken for 20 years, and was inducted into the Elon Sports Hall of Fame in the same class as Kay Yow, North Carolina State's Head Basketball Coach.

Other activities

West is known outside of umpiring as a singer/songwriter and has performed with such artists as Merle Haggard, Bonnie Owens, Bobby Mackey, Box Car Willie, Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee, Jason Scheff, Skunk Baxter, Les Dudek, Rick Seratte, T.G. Sheppard, Ray and Ron Hearndon, The Four Guys, The Jones Boys ( George Jones' band), The Statesiders ( Mel Tillis' band) and Charlie McCoy and the Hee Haw Band. He has released two country albums, Blue Cowboy and Diamond Dreams, which tells stories about things that have happened in baseball and has an up-tempo song about going to a baseball game. It's distributed on Good and Western Records and was released February 29, 2008.

West has made one film appearance, playing the Third Base Umpire in the 1988 comedy The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! ^[3]

West designed and patented today's most commonly used chest protector, which is often referred to as the "West Vest", now marketed by Wilson Sporting Goods. He designed all of Wilson's high-end umpiring gear, which is the only equipment endorsed by Major League Baseball for use by its umpires.

He is an avid golfer and a member of the Celebrity Players Tour.

Criticisms

West has gotten a lot of criticisms for poor umpiring and trying to change the outcome of the game rather than letting it play out. Following an ejection in 2010, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen chastised West for thinking that people come to the game to watch him umpire. ^[4] Former Major League pitcher Curt Schilling said that West "often times acts like he'd rather be any place in the world other than the field". ^[5]

West has used his publicist to send out e-mails giving people the opportunity to interview him. Umpires are expected to remain anonymous and not make themselves bigger than the game, but West is criticized for frequently attempting to promote himself. ^[6]

In 2006, West was ranked the 4th worst umpire in the major leagues in a survey of major league players ^[7]

Career highlights

• September 14, 1976 West umpired his first game in the National League.
• October 13, 1981 West became the youngest National League Umpire to umpire a League Championship Series. He was 28.
• May 9, 1984: West ejected two television cameramen from Shea Stadium when they allowed the Mets to view replays of a controversial play at the plate in which Hubie Brooks was called out. The Mets won the game against Atlanta 3–1, with Ron Darling getting the win.
• In 1986 West was the plate umpire when Dwight Gooden and Nolan Ryan squared up and set the League Championship record for the most strike outs by the starting pitchers in an LCS.
• West was behind the plate for the first games Dwight Gooden and Greg Maddux ever pitched in the Major Leagues.
• West was behind the plate in the League Championship Game between the Dodgers and Mets when Mets Manager Dave Johnson requested that he check Dodger Pitcher, Jay Howell's glove. West and Crew Chief Harry Wendelstedt agreed that the glove was covered with "pine tar" and Howell was ejected.
• July 23, 1991: After Cincinnati pitcher Rob Dibble threw a ball at Cub Doug Dascenzo and was thrown out of the game, West was bumped by Cubs Andre Dawson in the same game; Dawson was suspended for one game and fined $1000. On the check he wrote to the league, Dawson wrote in the memo "donation to the blind."
• 1990: NL president Bill White was prepared to suspend umpire Joe West for slamming Philadelphia pitcher Dennis Cook to the ground while breaking up an on field brawl, but commissioner Fay Vincent intervened and no discipline was imposed.
• West was the on the crew that worked the first playoff game ever played in Canada (Dodgers at Expos in 1981) and was behind the plate in the first ever World Series Game played in Canada (Braves at Toronto in 1992) and ejected Braves' Manager Bobby Cox for throwing a helmet onto the field.
• West was behind the plate for Willie McCovey's 500th home run and at first base for Nolan Ryan's fifth no-hitter. He was at first base when Pete Rose tied the modern day record in the National League for most consecutive games with a hit and he was behind the plate when he broke it the following day.
• West was the home plate umpire for Clay Buchholz's no hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on September 1, 2007 at Fenway Park, and called a knee-high curveball strike three for the final out.
• West's career has spanned the tenure of Commissioners Bowie Kuhn, Peter Ueberroth, Bart Giamatti, Fay Vincent, and the current Commissioner Bud Selig.
• Prior to the 2007 post season West had worked 75 post season games, 10th all time for the number of post season games umpired.
• July 30, 2009 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Joe worked his 4000th game, becoming the 14th man in the majors to do so.
• On April 8, 2010, West sparked controversy by criticizing the slow pace of the recently-completed Yankees/ Red Sox series, which he called “pathetic and embarrassing.’’ ^[8] West was not fined by Major League Baseball for his comments, but was "admonished firmly", according to press reports. ^[9]
• On May 26, 2010, West first ejected White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén in the second inning after a questionable balk. Guillen went out either to protect his pitcher or to argue the call. One inning later, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle was ejected after he dropped his glove in protest to another questionable balk. After the game, Buehrle said "I think he's too worried about promoting his CD and I think he likes seeing his name in the papers a little bit too much instead of worrying about the rules." White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said "Sometimes he thinks... people pay to watch him umpire. No matter what you say, what you do, how long you talk here, Major League Baseball doesn’t do... anything." ^[10]

Notes

External links

• Official website
• MajorLeagueUmpires.com
• Major league profile