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Major-league ump Ed Rapuano backs Pope John Paul II

When an assistant baseball coach at Pope John Paul II High in Boca Raton fell ill last winter, the school didn't have to look far to find a qualified temp.

Coaching at first base for a few games was one of the school's biggest boosters - Major League Baseball umpire Ed Rapuano.

"I put the Pope John uniform on for a couple of games. My wife got a chuckle out of it,' Rapuano said this week before working a game in Detroit.

During his 20 years umpiring in the big leagues, Rapuano has heard more than an earful from angry players and managers. He once threw Philadelphia's Shane Victorino out of a game - for arguing balls and strikes from his position in center field.

But Rapuano laughed and said he never thought about taking advantage of his rare role reversal to spew any venom at the high school umps.

"I tried to disguise myself a little bit and wear sunglasses, but they all knew who I was,' he said. "Those guys do a heck of a job and they were all really great.'

Rapuano, 52, has lived in Boca Raton for 20 years, since his earliest days as an umpire in the Florida State League. Although his job keeps him on the road most days during baseball season, he has kept his allegiances close to home.

Rapuano is helping raise money to build the first baseball fields at Pope John Paul II, whose team has played its games at Boca Raton's Sugar Sand Park.

"We've had alumni involved, too, but our biggest driving force up to now has been Eddie Rapuano,' said Athletic Director Scott Baker.

The school is still working on construction estimates and a time table, but Rapuano said it's important to raise money now in hopes that the new fields will attract more students.

"We're on the ground floor, but it's moving along,' he said.

He raised $7,000 by raffling off a ball autographed by the Yankees. He also hosted a wine-tasting charity with Greg Norton, the school's softball coach.

"He has been first-class all the way,' baseball coach Pete Graffeo said. "He will do anything he can to help the program. At first, I thought he was too good to be true.'

Rapuano has a vested interest in Pope John Paul II. His three kids went to school there - Eddie (24) and Rosalie (20) graduated and 17-year-old Nick is entering his senior year.

The school recently hired former Dolphins running back and Notre Dame star Autry Denson as its new football coach. Rapuano said the next step is to build the baseball fields.

"The Catholic schools are low on attendance with the economy the way it is. Athletics is a good way to bring kids to the school,' Rapuano said. "Since my name has been out there, we've been getting a lot of nibbles on the hook. Hopefully we get more kids to apply.'

Rapuano said he's convinced that baseball fields at the school will boost team pride, pointing out how the players respond when they work out in batting cages on the school grounds.

"I noticed the difference in the kids' attitudes when they are on their complex, when they're at the school with the football and lacrosse teams at the other end of the field and soccer team playing on the football field and their school in the background. You can see how much better they respond when they're actually in their own backyard,' he said.

Volunteering for the school, Rapuano is often asked by players and parents about life as a major-league umpire. He worked the 1995 and 2008 All-Star Games and the 2001 and 2003 World Series.

"After Game 6 in New York, I remember standing there and watching as they all ran in,' Rapuano said about the Marlins' clinching win at Yankee Stadium in '03. "Seeing those expressions on those guys' faces, the underdogs just beating the Yankees, was something I'll never forget.'

But his most memorable game was his first - May 11, 1990 - because his daughter Rosalie was born the next day.

"My wife, Valerie, was due a week later, and when I got called to the big leagues she didn't want me to miss my first weekend,' he said.

"I worked the game on a Friday night in Pittsburgh behind the plate. The next afternoon, she called me and said, 'What do you want to name your daughter?' I didn't know whether to be angry that I wasn't there or happy.

"That night, our crew put it on the scoreboard, 'Congratulations third-base umpire Ed Rapuano on the birth of your daughter.' '

By Joe Capozzi
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Working his regular job, home plate umpire Ed Rapuano shows Milwaukee's Casey McGehee the way to the dugout after McGehee questioned his strikeout during an Aug. 3 game. Rapuano helps out as a volunteer coach at Pope John Paul II High School.

Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Current and retired umpires (L to R) Randy Marsh, Joe West, Bruce Froemming, Ed Montague and Jerry Crawford gather for a group picture before induction ceremonies at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on July 25, 2010. The umps came to see former umpire Doug Harvey enshrined into the Hall of Fame.

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Four senior Major League Umpires retired, all were Crew Chiefs

Charlie Reliford moved into a position with the Office of the Commissioner after 20 years as a Major League Umpire. His career included 2 All Star Games (1996, 2007), 4 Divisional Playoff Series (1995, 1997, 2000, 2004), 3 League Championship Series (1999, 2001, 2002), and 2 World Series(2000, 2004). A long time instructor at Harry Wendelstedt's School for umpires, Charlie served as the only committee member allowed by the Commissioner's Office to be on the Rules Committee. He was a tremendous asset to the Joint Committee on Training.

Rick Reed has left the field to be an Observer for the Office of the Commissioner after 28 years as a Major League Umpire. He was the Chief of the crew that worked the first Major League games ever played in China and his crew opened the season in 2008 in the "Japan Opening Series." He worked Dave Righetti's and Joe Crowley's No-Hitters and was one of the umpires for George Brett's 3,000th hit. He worked 2 All Star Games (1986,1998), 3 Divisional Series (1997, 2000, 2001), 3 League Championship Series (1989, 1995, 1999) and the World Series in 1991. He made his acting debut as the home plate umpire in the Kevin Costner film "For The Love Of the Game" in 1999.

Randy Marsh has left the field and taken a supervisory position with the Office of the Commissioner after 28 years as a Major League Umpire. He has worked 4 All Star Games (1985, 1988, 1996, 2006), 5 Divisional Series (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006), 9 League Championship Series (1989, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009) and 5 World Series (1990,1997,1999, 2003, 2006). Also, a long time instructor for Harry Wendelstedt, Randy was also one of the original instructors at Major League Baseball's Urban Youth Academy at Compton, California in November of 2006. Randy was part of the first Joint Committee on Training and collaborated on the first Major League Umpire Manuel.

Ed Montague, the Dean of Major League Umpires for the last two years has retired after 35 years as a Major League Umpire (tied for 3rd all time). He worked 4 All Star Games (1982,1990,1998, 2004), 7 Divisional Series (1981, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007), 8 League Championship Series (1979, 1984, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002), and 6 World Series (1986, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2007). Ed was the Crew Chief of the last four World Series he worked. The only other umpires in history to achieve that were Al Barlick, Bill Klem, and Tom Connelly (all Hall of Famers). Ed had worked the most World Series games of any active umpire at the time of his retirement. He was 12th on the all time list for Most World Series Games Umpired. His 65 other post season games make him 4th all time for Most Post Season Games Umpired with 99. His 4,369 games ranks him 8th all time. Four of the eight are in the Hall of Fame (Klem, Connelly, McGowan, and new this year Doug Harvey).

Saugerties native Hallion named MLB crew chief

As a major league umpire, Tom Hallion has been able to achieve many career milestones, including working All-Star games, League Championship Series and World Series.

Now he’s reached the highest position an umpire can aspire to — crew chief.

The Saugerties native earned the promotion at the beginning of spring training and is looking forward to having his own crew when the regular season begins next week.

“It’s very rewarding. It’s almost feels like I’ve come full circle,” said Hallion, who talked by phone Monday after working the Astros-Pirates exhibition in Bradentown, Fla. Ironically, he was on his way to St. Petersburg to watch Saugerties High’s baseball team play a preseason game.

“I’m very thrilled,” he said.

With the retirements of Charlie Reliford, Randy Marsh, Ed Montague and Rick Reed, Hallion was promoted by the Commissioner’s office along with Brian Gorman, Jeff Kellogg and Jerry Layne.

A 17-year veteran, Hallion has umpired two All-Star games, three divisional series, two LCS and the 2008 World Series.

John Kibler, Umpire for Bill Buckner’s Error, Dies at 81
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — John Kibler, a longtime National League umpire, died here Thursday. He was 81.

Kibler died of a heart attack, his family said. Kibler worked his first major league game in 1963 and was a full-time National League umpire from 1965 through 1989. He worked the World Series four times, and was at first base for Game 6 of the 1986 Series between the Mets and the Boston Red Sox, which the Mets famously won when Mookie Wilson’s ground ball rolled between first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs.

Kibler was the plate umpire for Game 7, when the Mets beat the Red Sox for the championship.

Kibler served in the Navy during the Korean War and left the New York state police to go to umpiring school. He started out as a minor league umpire in the late 1950s and became a major league crew chief in 1977.

He was married for 51 years. Kibler and his wife, Dorothy, had two sons.

Harvey Elected to Hall

Long time National League umpire Doug Harvey has been elected to the Hall of Fame. Harvey umpired in five World Series (1968, 1974, 1981, 1984 and 1988), serving as crew chief in 1984 and 1988, and in six All-Star Games (1963, 1964, 1971, 1977, 1982 and 1992). He umpired in the National League Championship Series nine times – 1970 (Games 2-3), 1972, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1984 (Game 5), 1986, 1989 and 1991. Veteran umpire Joe West said “it is a long time coming and we are very proud of him.”

Long time umpire Mike Reilly said this of Harvey, "Doug Harvey was someone I always respected coming up in the minor leagues. I remember my first World Series assignment was in 1984 and I was honored to be chosen to umpire a World Series. Then I found out that I would be umpiring with Doug, it was really special and an honor. It is one of my best umpiring memories."

Senior umpire Ed Montague said of Harvey’s selection, "I am glad the hall recognized Doug, I am real proud of him. Doug set the bar high along with umpires like Shag Crawford and Paul Runge. When I look at Doug I think Hall of Fame."

The WUA and its members salute Doug on this most prestigious lifetime achievement award.

Behind the Mask - Drew Coble Elon College 1975

Though he retired from umpiring in Major League Baseball more than a decade ago, Drew Coble has vivid memories of his days working in the big leagues and the minors. Read on for Coble’s insights into the world of umpiring, as well as his favorite moments of his baseball career.

After earning one of the two minor-league positions offered at the conclusion of his umpire training course in 1975, Coble started work in the long-season Class A Western Carolina League. Over the next couple of years, he moved up to the higher-level Class-A Carolina League and, in 1977, the Class AA Southern League.

“In the minors, the pay was really low,” Coble recalls. “You had to drive everywhere. You’d drive through the night, and you’d just hope you could get some sleep before you had to work the next night. That’s what the minor leagues were like.”

Coble spent 10 days working in the Southern League before he caught the eye of Barney Deary, the head of minor-league umpires at the time. Deary liked what he saw and promoted Coble to Class AAA, the last stop in minor-league play before the majors. Class AAA was an improvement in lifestyle, but still posed challenges for Coble and his family.

“In triple-A, you fly everywhere, and the money is a little bit better, but it’s not great,” he says. “I had a second job in the wintertime to get enough money for my family to get by.”

One phone call in April 1981 changed all that.

“It was opening day (of the MLB season), and I was sitting at home, watching the Cincinnati Reds on TV,” Coble recalls. “The phone rang, I picked it up, and the person said ‘Drew, this is Dick Butler (head of umpires) of the American League. I want to welcome you to the American League.’”

Though his time in the majors directly following Butler’s call lasted only a few games, Coble returned to the majors for good in June of that year.

“Once you get to the big leagues, you fly everywhere, you stay in first-class hotels, you travel first class,” he says. “It’s just a big, big difference (from the minors).”

Favorite memories in baseball

Over his nearly 20-year career as a major-league umpire, Coble witnessed some amazing moments in baseball. For example, in 1990, he became only the fifth umpire since 1901 to work two no-hitters in a single season; he was on hand for A’s pitcher Dave Stewart’s no-no against the Blue Jays on June 29, and Blue Jays pitcher Dave Steib’s against the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 2.

“When you’re working, you kind of get caught up in the game. Then you realize, ‘Hey, this guy is throwing a no-hitter, and he’s depending on me to make the calls,’” Coble says. “It’s a little bit of pressure.”

As an AL umpire, Coble worked alongside stars and hall-of-famers, including the New York Yankees’ Reggie Jackson, the Kansas City Royals’ George Brett and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Robin Yount. In his first game after being recalled to the major leagues in June 1981, Coble remembers getting to work with A’s manager Billy Martin, a man famously fired and re-hired multiple times by George Steinbrenner when Martin worked for the Yankees.

Former Elon baseball coach Jerry Drake (left) introduced Coble for his 2007 induction to the Elon Sports Hall of Fame.

But perhaps his favorite memory of his career was working the classic 1991 World Series between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves. The series lasted the maximum seven games, three of which went to extra innings. Coble worked the plate for one of those extra-inning affairs, Game 3 in Atlanta, when Mark Lemke’s single to left scored David Justice from second for the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th, giving the Braves a 2-1 victory. The Twins, however, prevailed in the series.

“I had more fun in that World Series than God knows what,” Coble recalls. “(The umpires) had our families with us, and it was like a 10-day vacation. All I had to do was work a couple of hours each night.”

by Kristin Simonetti

Celebrity Tour Players at Camp LeJuene...

Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and Major League Umpire Joe West meet
at Camp LeJuene for the Marine Corps Wounded Warriors Golf Tournament.

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