Larry Wayne Vanover (born August 22, 1955) is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. Vanover worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999 and in Major League Baseball from 2002 to 2024. Vanover has umpired two All Star Games (1999, 2013), and in the 2016 World Series. He was promoted to crew chief in 2015. Vanover wore sleeve number 28 during his National League tenure, then changed to 27 after his return to the MLB umpiring staff in 2002. Vanover became the oldest umpire in major league history during the 2024 season.
| Larry Vanover | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vanover in 2023 | |
| Born: August 22, 1955 Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S.[1] | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 25, 1991 | |
| Last appearance | |
| September 22, 2024 | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Special assignments |
Career
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Vanover worked in several minor leagues before his major league debut in 1991. He officiated in the South Atlantic League, Midwest League, Southern League, American Association, Pacific Coast League, International League and Venezuelan League.[2]
Vanover was behind the plate when Marge Schott came on the field just prior to an April 1996 Astros–Reds doubleheader and apologized to Vanover for her Opening Day comments following the death of umpire John McSherry.[3] The Opening Day game had been postponed after McSherry collapsed on the field; he died at a local hospital. After the game was postponed, Schott had said, "I feel cheated."[4]
Vanover was one of 22 umpires who resigned during the 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation. The negotiation strategy failed when baseball officials simply accepted the resignations and hired replacement umpires. After a protracted legal battle, Vanover and eight other umpires regained their major league jobs for the 2002 season.[5][6]
MLB appointed Vanover to serve as crew chief for the 2014 Legend Series at Rod Carew Stadium in Panama City, Panama, on March 15–16.[7] Vanover spent the 2014 season as an interim crew chief while regular crew chief Tim McClelland was on the disabled list. In September 2014, Vanover was the home plate umpire for Derek Jeter's final game.[8] Vanover was officially promoted to permanent crew chief upon McClelland's retirement prior to the 2015 season.[9] On May 24, 2019, Vanover umpired his 3,000th MLB game.[10]
On April 12, 2023, Vanover was hit in the head by Cleveland Guardians infielder Andrés Giménez's relay throw to home attempting to throw out Oswaldo Cabrera.[11] Vanover was hospitalized for his non-life-threatening injuries.[12] He retired following the 2024 season.[13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Stupp, Dann (January 2003). Opening Day at Great American Ball Park. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 122. ISBN 978-1-58261-724-4.
- ^ "MLB Umpires Roster". MLB. November 13, 2007. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018.
- ^ "Schott Takes the Field To Say She's Sorry". The New York Times. April 15, 1996. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
- ^ "Talk about bad timing". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 15, 1996. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
- ^ "Arbitrator Orders Baseball to Rehire 9 Umpires". The New York Times. May 12, 2001. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
- ^ "Judge Orders Rehiring of 9 Umps". The New York Times. December 15, 2001. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
- ^ Lindsay (March 14, 2014). "Roster: 2014 Opening Series (Sydney, Australia) Umpires". Close Call Sports. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "New York Yankees 9, Boston Red Sox 5". Retrosheet. September 28, 2014. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023.
- ^ Imber, Gil (February 17, 2015). "Retirement of MLB Umpire Tim McClelland". Close Call Sports/Umpire Ejection Fantasy League. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021.
- ^ "Larry Vanover Officiates 3,000th MLB Game". Close Call Sports/Umpire Ejection Fantasy League. May 24, 2019. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
- ^ @JomboyMedia (April 12, 2023). "The Guardians were trying to throw the runner out at home and instead nail the umpire Larry Vanover" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Withers, Tom (April 12, 2023). "Umpire hospitalized after getting hit in head by relay throw". AP NEWS. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ "Umpire Larry Vanover is retiring after more than 30 years in the majors". The Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers. September 22, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.