All-Time Team of Players Who Umpired

This team is the brain child of David Vincent, who tell us:

“It is rare today to see a game without four umpires on the field.  This was not always the case.  In the past, travel problems and injuries would necessitate the use of players and coaches as substitutes during games.  Sometimes these stand-ins would work only part of a game.

“The following team is comprised of Hall of Famers who worked a few games as temporary arbiters. Jocko Conlan was elected to the Hall as an umpire.  Tim Keefe worked three seasons as a staff umpire while Bobby Wallace worked one year on staff.”

1b -       Frank Chance*

2b -       Monte Ward*

3b -       King Kelly*

SS -      Hughie Jennings*

 C -       Buck Ewing*

LF -       Chuck Klein*

CF -      Ned Hanlon*

RF -      Willie Keeler*

PH - (r)   Jim O’Rourke*

PH - (l)   Jake Beckley*

PH - (b) Kid Nichols*

PR -       Tommy McCarthy*

Pitching

RH -      Christy Mathewson*

RH -      Ed Walsh*

RH -      Cy Young*

RH -      Pud Galvin*

RH -      Tim Keefe*

RH -      Mickey Welch*

Mgr -     Wilbert Robinson*

Coach -      Harry Wright*

Owners - Charlie Comiskey*, Clark Griffith*

Bench

John Clarkson*

Jocko Conlan*

Chief Bender*

Joe McGinnity*

Bobby Wallace*

Vic Willis*

Others (not in the HOF)

Charlie Berry

Ken Burkhart

Bob Emslie

Tom Gorman

Bill Kunkel (last former player to umpire in the majors, 28-Aug-1984)

George Moriarity
Hank O’Day

Babe Pinelli

Eddie Rommel

Frank Secory

Vinnie Smith

Lon Warneke

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration