Umpires play an important role to the game of baseball by regulating the game and keeping the rules. Since 1876, when William McLean became the first umpire in Major League Baseball, plate umpires have stood behind the catcher to perform numerous duties, including calling balls and strikes.
Duties
The major duties of a plate umpire is to call each pitch a ball or a strike, call a runner safe or out, and determine if a batted ball is fair or foul. Each of these calls is considered a judgement call and cannot be argued by any player, coach or manager.
Crew Chief
Every umpiring crew consists of a crew chief. The plate umpire is almost always considered to be the crew chief. There are times when a specific league or organization will designate one umpire as the crew chief for tournament play. The crew chief is responsible for the crew of umpires that can consist of two, three or four other umpires. If there is an issue with a rule interpretation after a play, the crew chief can make the final ruling decision.
Equipment
Plate umpires must be protected from head-to-toe from thrown or batted balls. Umpires will hear special protective footwear, shin guards, a protective cup, chest protector and face mask as protective equipment. Additional equipment includes ball bags to store extra baseballs, a clicker to keep track of balls, strikes and outs, and a plate brush to clean dirt from the plate. Clothing consists of charcoal pants, a blue shirt and a hat.
Additional Duties
Plate umpires are in charge of submitting written documentation to league officials when a player or coach is ejected from a game. They are also in charge of and responsible for the game and decide when a game can be forfeited. The plate umpire shall inform the official scorer of any changes to lineups and batting orders.
Fun Fact
In 1972, Bernice Gera was the first woman to umpire in the major leagues, and in 1974, Armando Rodriguez was the first Hispanic umpire in the major leagues.
Umpire Camps
Every year, the major leagues host umpire camps to improve the abilities of amateur umpires. These camps focus on proper mechanics, rules and positioning. Most camps last two to seven days.
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