Jim Honochick

Jim Honochick
Jim Honochick
	Honochick in 1955
Born	August 19, 1917; Oneida, Pennsylvania
Died	March 10, 1994 (aged 76); Allentown, Pennsylvania
Occupation	American League Umpire
Years active	1949 – 1973
Employer	American League
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)

George James John Honochick (August 19, 1917 – March 10, 1994) was an American professional baseball umpire, whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) began in 1949 and ended in 1973. During that span, Honochick officiated in six World Series and four All-Star games. He also called balls and strikes for three no-hitters: the first of Virgil Trucks' two (1952), Jack Kralick (1962), and Sonny Siebert (1966).

Early life and education

Honochick was born August 18, 1917 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He attended and graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School.

Career

Honochick was the crew chief who declared that the Washington Senators forfeit its last game (1971, playing at home, in Washington, D.C.) because a mob, furious that the franchise was going to relocate to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex the next season, stormed the playing field with the team only one out away from victory.

During the mid-1970s, Honochick was one of the many professional sports-related celebrities who became spokespeople for Lite Beer from Miller. His first commercial played up the clichéd notion, usually bellowed out by hecklers, that umpires should get glasses because of questionable calls made on the field having been caused by poor eyesight. In it, he helped to promote the product without realizing who the other pitchman in the ad was. After putting on spectacles, he immediately noticed who it was, exclaiming, "Hey! You're Boog Powell!"^[1] This theme continued to be used in subsequent Miller Lite spots.