Umpires and No-Hitters

Note: All statistics are current through the 2016 season.

 

Bruce Froemming, who umpired in the major leagues from 1971 through 2007, was on the field for the most no-hitters ever — 11. Froemming was the home-plate umpire four times for a no-no. He called Milt Pappas’s in 1972, Ed Halicki’s in 1975, Nolan Ryan’s in 1981, and Jose Jimenez’s in 1999. In addition, Froemming worked on the bases for Burt Hooten’s in 1972 (second base), Phil Niekro’s in 1973 (third base), Bob Forsch’s in 1983 (third base), Dennis Martinez’ perfecto in 1991 (first base), Kevin Gross’s in 1992 (first base), Darryl Kile’s in 1993 (second base), and Bud Smith’s in 2001 (second base). Silk O’Loughlin, Paul Pryor, and Jim McKean each worked 10 no-hitters. Tom Hallion has been on the field in some capacity for seven no-hitters, the most among umpires active in 2016.

Silk O’Loughlin, an American League umpire from 1902 through 1918, was behind the plate for six no-hitters in his career, the most called by an umpire behind the plate. His first and second no-hit games were both in 1905, within 45 days of each other. He followed with no-nos in 1908, 1911, 1912, and 1917. Bill Dinneen, Bill Klem, and Harry Wendelstedt called five no-hitters apiece while behind the plate.

Ted Barrett is the only umpire to have been behind the plate for two perfect games. Barrett called David Cone’s on July 18, 1999, and Matt Cain’s on June 13, 2012. Barrett was also on the field at third base for Philip Humber’s perfecto on April 21, 2012, making Barrett the only umpire to work three perfect games in his career.

Bill Dinneen pitched in the majors from 1898 through 1909. On September 27, 1905, Dinneen threw a no-hitter for the Red Sox against the White Sox. After his playing career ended, Dinneen was an American League umpire from 1909 through 1937. He was behind the plate for five no-nos: Chief Bender in 1910, George Mullin in 1912, Dutch Leonard in 1918, Sam Jones in 1923, and Howard Ehmke, also in 1923. Dineen is the only person to throw a no-hitter and call one as an umpire in the major leagues.

Bill Klem, a National League umpire from 1905 through 1941, called his first no-hitter on September 20, 1907. Twenty-seven years and one day later, on September 21, 1934, Klem called his fifth and last, making him the umpire with the longest gap between his first no-hitter behind the plate and his last. Joe Brinkman called two no-nos from behind the plate, on June 19, 1974, and May 12, 2001, 26 years and 327 days apart. Bruce Froemming called four no-hitters. The first was on September 2, 1972, and the last on June 25, 1999, a period of 26 years and 296 days.

Many umpires have called no-hitters or perfect games on more than one occasion. Ten umpires active in 2016 have called multiple no-hit games:

• Ted Barrett (3): David Cone’s 1999 perfect game, Ervin Santana’s 2011 no-hitter, and Matt Cain’s 2012 perfect game.
• Eric Cooper (3): Hideo Nomo’s 2001 no-hitter, Mark Buehrle’s 2007 no-hitter, and Buehrle’s 2009 perfect game.
• Phil Cuzzi (2): Bud Smith’s in 2001 and Cole Hamels’ in 2015.
• Rob Drake (2): Felix Hernandez’ perfecto in 2012 and Chris Heston’s no-hitter in 2015.
• Greg Gibson (2): Randy Johnson’s perfect game in 2004 and Clayton Kershaw’s 2014 no-hitter, in which an error cost Kershaw a perfect game.
• Ed Hickox (2): Matt Garza’s in 2010 and Homer Bailey’s in 2012.
• Adrian Johnson (2): Edwin Jackson’s in 2010 and Homer Bailey’s in 2013.
• Jeff Kellogg (2): Anibal Sanchez’s in 2006 and Ubaldo Jimenez’s in 2010.
• Brian Knight (2): Jon Lester’s in 2008 and Josh Beckett’s in 2014.
• Ron Kulpa (2): Justin Verlander’s in 2007 and Henderson Alvarez’s in 2013.

The following umpires have been behind the plate for multiple no-hitters in the same season.

• Foghorn Bradley, 1880
• Mike Walsh, 1882
• Billy McLean, 1884
• John Valentine, 1884
• John Gaffney, 1888
• Tom Lynch, 1892
• Silk O’Loughlin, 1905
• Tommy Connolly, 1908
• Bill Brennan, 1915
• Dick Nallin, 1917
• Bill Dinneen, 1923
• Harry Schwarts, 1962
• Harry Wendelstedt, 1968
• Bill Deegan, 1977
• Drew Coble, 1990
• Brian Runge, 2012

Lou DiMuro and his son, Mike, are the only father-son tandem to have both been behind the plate for no-hitters (Mike for Roy Halladay’s 2010 perfect game, and Lou for Jim Palmer’s 1969 no-hitter). Ed Runge was the home-plate umpire on September 16, 1965, for Dave Morehead’s gem. His grandson, Brian, worked the plate for three no-hitters. The younger Runge called Jonathan Sanchez’s game on July 10, 2009, in which an error cost the hurler a perfect game. Runge also called Philip Humber’s perfect game on April 21, 2012, and Seattle’s six-pitcher no-hitter on June 8, 2012. Brian’s dad, Paul, was on the field for six no-hitters but never behind the dish.

Ed Vargo, a National League umpire from 1960 through 1983, was the first major-league umpire to call two no-hitters for the same pitcher. Vargo was behind home plate for Sandy Koufax’s no-hitter on June 4, 1964, and his perfect game on September 9, 1965. Eric Cooper is the only other umpire to achieve this feat, by working Mark Buehrle’s no-hitter on April 18, 2007, and his July 23, 2009, perfect game.

Dick Nallin is the only umpire to call two no-hitters on back-to-back days. On May 5, 1917, he called Ernie Koob’s game for the St. Louis Browns and the next day, Nallin was behind the plate for Bob Groom’s no-hit game. Both these games were played at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Bill Dinneen called two no-hitters within three days. He umpired the gems by Sam Jones on September 4, 1923, and Howard Ehmke on September 7, 1923. Since umpires no longer work the plate on consecutive days, Nallin’s record seems secure.

There have been 11 no-hitters with multiple pitchers. Mike Fichter was the home-plate umpire on June 11, 2003, when a record six Houston Astros pitchers combined to no-hit the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Fichter called balls and strikes as Roy Oswalt, Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, and Billy Wagner held New York hitless in an 8-0 victory. This feat was matched by the Seattle Mariners on June 8, 2012, when Kevin Millwood, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Lucas Luetge, Brandon League, and Tom Wilhelmsen combined on a no-hitter with Brian Runge behind the plate. Three no-hitters have featured four pitchers each. On September 28, 1975, Bill Kunkel called the gem by Oakland hurlers Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Lindblad, and Rollie Fingers against the California Angels. On July 13, 1991, Chuck Meriwether called the game by Orioles pitchers Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, and Gregg Olson at Oakland. Jordan Baker was the home-plate umpire on September 1, 2014, when Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, Ken Giles, and Jonathan Papelbon of the Phillies blanked the Braves in Atlanta.

Tim Tschida called balls and strikes on September 14, 2008, for Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter against the Astros. The 5-0 Cubs win, the team’s first no-no in 36 years, was relocated from Houston to Milwaukee’s Miller Park because of Hurricane Ike. It was the second no-hitter in which Tschida was the home-plate umpire, having called Nolan Ryan’s record seventh no-hitter on May 1, 1991.

Two no-hitters have been thrown in the postseason. On October 8, 1956, Don Larsen of the Yankees threw a gem against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. The home-plate umpire that day was Babe Pinelli, working behind the plate for the last time in his 22-year umpiring career. On October 6, 2010, John Hirschbeck called the no-no by Roy Halladay of the Phillies against the Reds in the National League Division Series.

DAVID VINCENT (1949-2017) was the preeminent expert on the history of home runs — which earned him the nickname “The Sultan of Swat Stats.” Vincent was the 1999 recipient of the Bob Davids Award, SABR’s highest honor; the first and only secretary for Retrosheet; and the Washington Nationals’ lead official scorer since their inception in 2005 until his untimely death in 2017. A SABR member since 1985 who served for four years on the Board of Directors, he spearheaded the effort to organize and digitize the comprehensive SABR Tattersall-McConnell Home Run Log, a record of all home runs hit in the major leagues since 1871, which is now available online through Baseball-Reference.com largely because of Vincent’s work. He authored or co-authored several books, including Home Runs in the Old Ballparks (1995), SABR Presents The Home Run Encyclopedia (1996), The Midsummer Classic: The Complete History of Baseball’s All-Star Game (2001), Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball’s Ultimate Weapon (2007), The Ultimate Red Sox Home Run Guide (2009), and SABR’s Great Hitting Pitchers (2012), along with numerous other articles on home runs and hitting. Vincent also contributed many articles to SABR’s Baseball Biography Project, the Baseball Research Journal, and SABR Digital Library publications. Click here to learn more about his life.