Joe West (umpire)

This article is about the Major League Baseball umpire. For other people named Joe West, see Joe West (disambiguation).

Joseph Henry West (born October 31, 1952) is an umpire in Major League Baseball, the president of the World Umpires Association, umpire equipment design specialist, patent holder, singer, songwriter, and avid golfer. West worked in the National League in 1976 and from 1978 to 1999. In 1999, West was among 22 umpires, whom the union claimed were illegally terminated when they engaged in a failed mass resignation strategy because MLB would not negotiate fairly. Through arbitration and successful appeals it was ordered that he be rehired by MLB in 2002 and has worked throughout both major leagues since that time. In less than three months, he was promoted to a crew chief position. 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. As President for the World Umpires Association, West and the union's Governing Board (with the help of Union Negotiator Brian Lam) negotiated the largest contract in the history of Major League Baseball for their umpires. The contract runs from 2010 through the 2014 season.

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 he was MVP on the 1973 team which played against an Abilene Christian team led by Clint Longley and Wilbert Montgomery for the Division 1 NAIA National Title. Elon lost the game. 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 the legendary Kay Yow, North Carolina State's Women's 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 Herndon, 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 albums, Blue Cowboy,a full blown Country and Western production of three originals and eight covers 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 performs with Ray and Ron Herndon at "Handle Bar J's" in Scottsdale, AZ whenever he works the Diamondback games and prior to the "Umps Care" Tournament held in late January every year. He also,is a nightly performer at "John A's Little Palace" in Nashville, TN whenever he's in Nashville. He has performed at the Alameda County Fair, the North Carolina State Fair, the Palamino Club (in North Hollywood), the Nashville Palace (Nashville, TN), and with the Hee Haw Band at the Grand Ole Opry.

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

West designed and patented the 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. 95% of the Major League Staff umpires use one of West's patented chest protectors.

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

Criticisms

• In 2006, the spring after he was Crew Chief of the World Series, West was ranked the 4th worst umpire in the major leagues in a survey of major league players. In a similar 2010 poll also just after he worked the World Series, West ranked as the 2nd worst umpire in the league. Only 100 players were polled.

• On May 26, 2010, during a game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, West first ejected Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén in the second inning after a balk call. Guillen had gone out to protect his pitcher, Mark Buehrle. One inning later, Buehrle himself was ejected after he allegedly threw his glove in protest of another balk call. 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." Guillen, and Buehrle were later fined for their involvement.

• In 2010, West sparked controversy by criticizing the slow pace of the recently-completed Yankees/Red Sox series, which he called "their compliance to the Commissioner's edict on pace of game, pathetic and embarrassing." West was not fined by Major League Baseball for his comments, but was "admonished firmly", according to press reports.

• 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".

• 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.

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.
• West is 10th all time for most seasons worked as a Major League Umpire, 16th all time for most games umpired (4,186), 10th all time for the number of post season games umpired (87).
• West has umpired games for 32 different Hall of Fame Players and 9 members of the Hall that were managers during his career. During his career he's also worked with two Hall of Fame Umpires.
• July 30, 2009 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Joe worked his 4000th game.

External links

• Official website
• MajorLeagueUmpires.com
• Major league profile