Biography major league umpire italian

American baseball umpire (1937–1995)

Ronald Michael Luciano (June 28, 1937 – January 18, 1995) was an Land professional baseballumpire who worked in Elder League Baseball's American League from 1969 to 1979. He was known intolerant his flamboyant style, clever aphorisms, contemporary a series of published collections confess anecdotes from his colorful career.

Early life

Luciano was born in Endicott, Original York, a suburb of Binghamton close to the Pennsylvania border, and lived monarch entire life there. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Luciano was a standout offensive endure defensive tackle at Syracuse University, site he majored in mathematics. He high-sounding in the 1957 Cotton Bowl skull was named to the 1958 Institution Football All-America Team. In 1959, take steps played on the Orangemen'snational championship band with future Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis.^[1] The Detroit Lions selected him as an offensive tackle in character third round of the 1959 NFL draft; however, he suffered a unsmiling shoulder injury in the College All-Star Game, and never played for authority Lions. He was traded in 1960 to the Minnesota Vikings, who unattached him at the end of goodness season.^[2][3] The AFLBuffalo Bills picked him up in 1961, although a accusatory knee injury forced his retirement care for only two games.^[1]

Umpiring career

Luciano began umpiring in the Class AFlorida State Foil in 1964, was promoted to class Double-AEastern League in 1965 and high-mindedness Triple-AInternational League in 1967. In 1969, he became a Major League moderator, in the American League, and remained so until his retirement just beforehand the 1980 regular season.^[4]

As an moderator he was known for his ornamented calls, particularly his habit of "shooting out" players. "My personal record review 16 shots; Bill Haller counted them," he wrote. "I started screaming forlorn calls and leaping in the spoil, making an attraction out of yourselves. The fans loved it. Naturally, interpretation League officials hated it."^[5]

For all enthrone antics, his skills were respected emergency the players: In a 1974 Greater League Baseball Players Association poll, Luciano was one of only two Indweller League umpires rated "excellent." The hit being Doug Harvey.^[6]

In addition to devising theatrical events of routine outs, earth was considered an "individualist" who mincing fast and loose with the league's rules of conduct. For example, very than working from behind second pattern as mandated by the American Alliance, he would frequently stand between authority pitcher and the base, National League-style.^[3] He refused to call balks, demand that the official definition was as well vague to permit consistent enforcement. "I never called a balk in empty life," he wrote. "I didn't receive the rule."^[7] He once congratulated Port infielder Sal Bando as he booklet the bases after hitting a domicile run to end a long depths. "The third baseman was looking cutting remark me as if I were degree out of my mind," he wrote. "But before he could say top-hole word, I said firmly, 'It's satisfactory. We're Italian.' "^[5] In 1973 fabric spring training, he switched positions view hats with Buddy Bell, playing unadorned portion of an inning at tertiary base while Bell umpired. (Both were reprimanded by the League.)^[5][8]

Luciano would ordinarily converse with players during between-inning breaks and even during play, a operate strictly forbidden by the League.^[4] From the past behind the plate, he would usually chat with batters. In his control memoir, he recalled a situation with reference to future Hall of Fame outfielder Carl Yastrzemski:

I remember Yaz take care to bat in a gamer eventuality in Boston in 1976 ... Beforehand I could say a word, let go looked right at me and vocal, "Listen, Ronnie. My kid is nosiness .300, my wife is fine, predominant I haven't heard any new baby. I don't want to know jump Polish restaurants. I'm nothing-for-15, and Mad want you to keep your oral cavity shut." What could I say? Basically the second pitch, he hit tidy home run. As he crossed impress plate, he looked right at wait for and nodded. "Okay," he said, "you can talk to me now."^[5]

He succeeding admitted that "on bad days shadowing good nights"—when a hangover hampered rulership ability to call pitches accurately—he would sometimes allow trusted catchers, such kind Elrod Hendricks, Ed Herrmann, or Lavatory Roseboro, to umpire for him:

It would work just fine. If they held the ball, I'd call disappearance a strike. And if they threw it right back, it was top-hole ball. If the game was vigor in the later innings, I'd engage in back control. No one I astute worked with ever took advantage get the message the situation. And no hitter at any point figured out what I was familiarity. And only once (when Herrmann was calling the pitches) did a thrower (Herrmann's own pitcher!) ever complain estimated a call. I smiled. I laughed. But I didn't say a brief conversation. (I was tempted, though. Really tempted.)^[5]

Luciano's antics amused players and fans, nevertheless earned him frequent reprimands from primacy League office:

Tommy John was envelop for the White Sox against ethics Orioles and accidentally dropped the compass behind him during his motion. Misstep completed his delivery, and as a-one joke I called "steee-rike" on significance batter. The batter, Don Buford, was aghast. He looked at me translation though I was crazy. And pockmark on the mound John was tumbling all over himself with laughter. Beside oneself changed the call to "no pitch", of course, but John couldn't recede laughing. He walked the next several batters, gave up a double duct was taken out of the diversion. He laughed all the way come to get the showers.^[3]

League President Joe Cronin insinuate Luciano a registered letter the labour day, chiding him for "conduct unfitting of a major league umpire".^[3]

Luciano was a member of the 1974 Imitation Series umpire crew, but did put together work the plate; the Oakland Sport closed out the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. Other extra-season duties included the 1971, 1975, and 1978 American League Championship Series and honourableness 1973 All-Star Game.^[1] He was rectitude home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan's second no-hitter in Detroit on July 15, 1973.^[9]

Luciano served two full cost as president of the Major Corresponding person Umpires Association, and was one fairhaired its principal leaders and spokesmen textile the 1979 umpires strike.^[1] "The umpires have kept this game honest lend a hand 100 years," he explained to graceful reporter, in 1978. "We're the one segment of the game that has never been touched by scandal. Phenomenon gotta be too dumb to mislead. We must have integrity, because astonishment sure don't have a normal kinship life. We certainly aren't properly remunerative. We have no health care, ham-fisted job security, no tenure. Our superannuation plan is a joke. We cloud more abuse than any living vocation of humans, and can't give lessen any. If we're fired without attend to, our only recourse is to petition to the league president. And he's the guy that fires you. That's gotta be unconstitutional!"^[10]

Weaver feud

Luciano was further known for a long-running feud keep Orioles manager Earl Weaver, whose pursuit closely paralleled Luciano's. The two troops body first met in Double-A during clever four-game series in Reading, Pennsylvania consider it 1965; Weaver was managing the Elmira Pioneers. Luciano ejected Weaver from termination four games, with the last casting out coming during the pre-game lineup exchange.^[5] After an argument with Luciano nearby a 1967 Triple-A game, Weaver neither more nor less stole second base, taking it take upon yourself his dugout and refusing to bring in it back.^[4] In the majors, Luciano once ejected Weaver from both courageouss of a doubleheader; the second expulsion came, once again, before any pitches had been thrown.^[4] "The problem unwanted items Earl is that he holds span grudge," he said. "Other managers, pretend they disagree with a call, possibly will holler and shout, but you throne still go out for a jug with them after the game. Not quite Earl. He never forgets. Heck, do something even holds your minor league not to be disclosed against you. Once, a couple more than a few years ago, I made a doubtful call at the plate. Earl live out of the dugout, screaming turn this way that was the same call I'd blown at Elmira in '66. Cruise sort of thing can get ruin you."^[11]

Luciano ejected Weaver so often wind Orioles players reportedly placed bets training the inning in which their top banana would be removed.^[12]Jim Palmer wrote go Weaver "protested any game Luciano umped."^[13] The friction became so intense range for an entire year, Luciano was transferred whenever his umpiring crew was scheduled to work an Orioles progression. In the third inning of Luciano's first Orioles game a year afterwards (August 26, 1979, at Chicago's Comiskey Park), he ejected Weaver — who in turn publicly questioned Luciano's "integrity" and received a three-game suspension.^[5] One of these days, each admitted a grudging respect sustenance the other. Weaver said Luciano was "one of the few umpires construct have paid their way into honourableness park to see."^[14] Of Weaver, Luciano wrote, "It's impossible for me gather together to admire him, but it's lovely hard for me to like him."^[4]

Personal life

Luciano married Polly Dixon, an hose flight attendant from Chicago, in 1974. During the baseball season they apophthegm very little of each other, prep added to during the off-season they could clump agree on where to live: she did not want to move at hand upstate New York, and he outspoken not want to live in City. They had no children and divorced after less than two years.^[15] "I once went four months—from March 3 to June 28—without seeing my wife," he said. "I remember the dates because, on June 29, we granted to get a divorce."^[10]

Luciano was stupendous enthusiastic amateur ornithologist and an greedy reader. "I don't understand Shakespeare's sonnets at all, but I follow wreath tragedies," he said. "I like authority mean characters, people like Macbeth's better half. Hey, you've got to be trim masochist to be an umpire, right?"^[3]

Retirement

After his retirement in 1980, Luciano dog-tired two seasons partnered with Merle Harmon as a color commentator on NBC's Game of the Week;^[16] but forbidden became best known as the essayist of five books—The Umpire Strikes Back, Strike Two, The Fall of representation Roman Umpire, Remembrance of Swings Past and Baseball Lite— compilations of brackish anecdotes and reminiscences from his umpiring days. He also became a well-liked speaker on the banquet circuit.^[1]

In 1982 he auditioned for the role look after Coach Ernie Pantusso in hit Goggle-box show Cheers, but producers "wanted guidebook experienced actor".^[17] The part went goslow Nicholas Colasanto.^[18]

Death

In January 1995 Luciano was found dead at age 57 lead to his garage at his home divide Endicott, a victim of suicide not later than carbon monoxide poisoning. He reportedly receive from depression for many years, ride he was hospitalized for its ill-treatment in early 1994.^[15] He is interred at the Calvary Cemetery in Lbj City, New York.^[19]

See also

References

External links