Don Denkinger
Encyclopedia
Donald Anton Denkinger is a former Major League Baseball
umpire
who worked in the American League
from 1969
to 1998
. Denkinger wore uniform number 11, when the AL adopted uniform number
s in 1980. He is best remembered for an incorrect call he made at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series
.
where he was on the wrestling
team. He became interested in umpiring while serving in the Army
from 1957 to 1959. He began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1960, joined the AL staff in April, 1969, and became an AL crew chief in 1977
. In 1975, Denkinger was one of the first American League umpires to switch from the outside chest protector to the inside chest protector, which was used in the National League for decades before finally being adopted in the AL in the late 1970s. All umpires who entered the AL starting in 1977 had to use the inside protector; AL umpires on staff prior to 1977 were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector. Denkinger's last game using the outside protector was Game 4 of the 1974 World Series.
He umpired in four World Series
: 1974
, 1980
, 1985
and 1991
, serving as crew chief the latter two years. Denkinger also umpired in the All-Star Game
in 1971
, 1976
and 1987
, calling balls and strikes for the last game. He officiated in six American League Championship Series
(1972
, 1975
, 1979
, 1982
, 1988
, 1992
), serving as crew chief in 1975, 1988 and 1992, and in the 1981
and 1995 AL Division Series
. He was the home plate umpire for the one-game playoff that decided the AL's Eastern Division champion in 1978
; the New York Yankees
defeated the Boston Red Sox
.
He is one of seven umpires who have worked in two perfect game
s; he was the second-base umpire for Len Barker
's perfect game on May 15, 1981, and the first-base umpire for Kenny Rogers
' perfect game on July 28, 1994. He was also the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan
's sixth no-hitter on June 11, 1990.
, played on October 26. The St. Louis Cardinals
led the Kansas City Royals
by 3 games to 2. The Cardinals had taken a 1-0 lead in the 8th inning on a single by little-used backup catcher Brian Harper
after pitchers Danny Cox
(of the Cardinals) and Charlie Leibrandt
(of the Royals) had battled back and forth all game long. Todd Worrell
came into the game for the Cardinals in the 9th inning, first facing Jorge Orta
, the leadoff batter for the Royals. Orta hit a slow roller to first baseman Jack Clark
, who tossed to Worrell covering first base.
Denkinger was the umpire at first base and called Orta safe, even though television replays and photographs clearly showed that he was out by half a step. The Cardinals argued briefly, but Denkinger refused to reverse it. The Royals went on to win Game 6 by the score of 2-1.
. Some observers suggested that the presence of Denkinger behind the plate affected the Cardinals' gameplay, as ace pitcher John Tudor got off to a terrible start, giving up five earned runs and four walks in only innings. Tudor was so disgusted by his performance, that he subsequently punched an electrical fan with his pitching hand. Todd Worrell (while being interviewed on ESPN Classic
's The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
about Don Denkinger's involvement in the 1985 World Series) would later compare the idea of Don Denkinger working behind home plate to putting a stick of dynamite
back there and lighting it.
The Cardinals made their frustrations clear throughout the game. ABC television cameras caught Herzog screaming and belittling Denkinger from the Cardinals' dugout throughout the contest. Pitcher Joaquín Andújar
exploded twice over Denkinger's calls at the plate during the 5th inning, finally being ejected with Herzog after a heated argument over Denkinger's strike zone. Herzog even went so far as to directly tell Denkinger that had he gotten "the call" right in Game 6, the Cardinals would not have been subjected to a seventh game in the first place. (Denkinger then replied that if the Cardinals were batting better than .120 in the Series, there would have been no need for a Game 7 either.) In the immediate aftermath of his meltdown, Andújar smashed a toilet in the Cardinals' clubhouse. The Cardinals were completely demolished by the Royals as Kansas City would go on to win Game 7 in an 11-0 blowout, taking home their first and only World Series Trophy
.
s) from Cardinals fans. Two St. Louis disc jockey
s went so far as to reveal Denkinger's telephone number and home address. At one point, Denkinger pulled up to his house to find a police car in the driveway of his Waterloo, Iowa
, home. Denkinger claimed that the letters continued on through 1987
(before Denkinger got into contact with Major League Baseball Security, who in turn contacted the FBI
), when the Cardinals
were ramping up for another World Series
appearance (this time against the Minnesota Twins). The breaking point for Denkinger was when he received a particularly menacing letter (with no return address) in which the writer tells that if he sees Denkinger in person, he would "blow him away" with a .357 Magnum
.
Ironically, the strongest part of his career likely followed the 1985 events; two years later, he was behind the plate for the All-Star Game
, and he was again named crew chief for the 1988 ALCS
, 1991 World Series
, and 1992 ALCS
. He is one of only four umpires to have been selected as crew chief for the ALCS three times.
More than 20 years after the fateful events in Kansas City
in October 1985, Denkinger has regularly appeared at sports memorabilia shows (including ones in St. Louis) willing to autograph photos depicting "The Call." Denkinger even owns a painting featuring himself, Todd Worrell, and Jorge Orta involved in the play, claiming that he keeps it to remind himself that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. In September 2005, he was a guest speaker at a 20th anniversary dinner celebrating the Cardinals' 1985 team, benefiting the Whitey Herzog Youth Foundation.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
who worked in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
from 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
to 1998
1998 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
. Denkinger wore uniform number 11, when the AL adopted uniform number
Uniform number (Major League Baseball)
As in many sports, a baseball player's uniform number has the purpose of identifying the player. However, it has come over time to have a much more significant meaning to the player and fans. A number can be symbolic of a player's legacy, and has resulted in all kinds of superstition...
s in 1980. He is best remembered for an incorrect call he made at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series
1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
.
Career
Denkinger attended Wartburg CollegeWartburg College
Wartburg College is a selective four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Waverly, Iowa. Wartburg West is in Denver, Colorado....
where he was on the wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
team. He became interested in umpiring while serving in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1957 to 1959. He began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1960, joined the AL staff in April, 1969, and became an AL crew chief in 1977
1977 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None*National League Championship Series MVP: Dusty Baker...
. In 1975, Denkinger was one of the first American League umpires to switch from the outside chest protector to the inside chest protector, which was used in the National League for decades before finally being adopted in the AL in the late 1970s. All umpires who entered the AL starting in 1977 had to use the inside protector; AL umpires on staff prior to 1977 were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector. Denkinger's last game using the outside protector was Game 4 of the 1974 World Series.
He umpired in four World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
: 1974
1974 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 12, 1974 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaReggie Jackson put the A's on the board first with a solo homer in the top of the second off 20-game winner Andy Messersmith...
, 1980
1980 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 14, 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe Royals jumped on Philly rookie starter Bob Walk early with a pair of two run bombs—one by Amos Otis in the second and another by Willie Aikens in the third...
, 1985
1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
and 1991
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
, serving as crew chief the latter two years. Denkinger also umpired in the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in 1971
1971 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:National League: Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League: Baltimore Orioles1971 World Series: Pittsburgh def. Baltimore , 4 games to 3.Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants....
, 1976
1976 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
and 1987
1987 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals ; Frank Viola, MVP**American League Championship Series: Gary Gaetti, MVP**National League Championship Series: Jeff Leonard, MVP...
, calling balls and strikes for the last game. He officiated in six American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
(1972
1972 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 7, 1972 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaGame 1 pitted ace pitchers Catfish Hunter for the A's and Mickey Lolich for the Tigers, and, as expected, both were brilliant...
, 1975
1975 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsBoston Red Sox starter Luis Tiant allowed just one run on three hits to defeat the Oakland Athletics, 7–1, in the ALCS opener....
, 1979
1979 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1979 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandGame 1 was a match-up of Nolan Ryan in his final season with the Angels, and Jim Palmer for the Orioles. The Angels jumped out to the early lead when Dan Ford homered in the top of the first. The Angels extended the lead...
, 1982
1982 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1982 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, CaliforniaThe Angels jumped to a 1–0 lead in the first when Brian Downing scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Don Baylor. Milwaukee came back to take a 3–1 lead with a two-run homer by Gorman Thomas in the second and a run...
, 1988
1988 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1988 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn an interview conducted before Game 1, José Canseco denied reports in that day's Washington Post by baseball reporter Thomas Boswell that he had used steroids...
, 1992
1992 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1992 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe first game of the series had Oakland's Dave Stewart face off against Toronto's Jack Morris. The A's put up a three-spot against Morris in the second inning, as Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach hit back-to-back home runs...
), serving as crew chief in 1975, 1988 and 1992, and in the 1981
1981 American League Division Series
-New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee Brewers:-Game 1, October 6:Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriMike Norris faced Dennis Leonard and the defending AL Champions in Game 1. Both pitchers were on their game and the game was scoreless through three innings. But in the top of the fourth, the A's got a...
and 1995 AL Division Series
1995 American League Division Series
-Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, Tuesday, October 3:Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioAfter a 39-minute rain delay, Game 1 got underway with two veterans, Roger Clemens and Dennis Martínez, starting the opener. The Red Sox jumped in front first in the third on John Valentin's two run...
. He was the home plate umpire for the one-game playoff that decided the AL's Eastern Division champion in 1978
1978 in baseball
-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...
; the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
defeated the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
He is one of seven umpires who have worked in two perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
s; he was the second-base umpire for Len Barker
Len Barker
Leonard Harold Barker III , better known as Lenny Barker or Len Barker, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He pitched the tenth perfect game in baseball history. Barker pitched for the Texas Rangers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers...
's perfect game on May 15, 1981, and the first-base umpire for Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers (baseball player)
Kenneth Scott Rogers is a former American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 20-year baseball career, he pitched from 1989-2008 for six different teams. In addition to being known for his fielding , he pitched the fourteenth perfect game in major league baseball history...
' perfect game on July 28, 1994. He was also the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
's sixth no-hitter on June 11, 1990.
The Call
Despite his long and illustrious career, Denkinger is probably best remembered for a blown call he made at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
, played on October 26. The St. Louis Cardinals
1985 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals' 1985 season was the team's 104th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 94th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-61 during the season and finished in first place in the National League East division by three games over the New York Mets...
led the Kansas City Royals
1985 Kansas City Royals season
The 1985 Kansas City Royals season ended with the Royals' first world championship win over their intrastate rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Royals won the Western Division of the American League for the second consecutive season and the sixth time in ten years...
by 3 games to 2. The Cardinals had taken a 1-0 lead in the 8th inning on a single by little-used backup catcher Brian Harper
Brian Harper
Brian David Harper is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career and is currently the manager of the Chicago Cubs' AA club, the Tennessee Smokies.-Minor leagues:Harper was drafted by the California Angels in...
after pitchers Danny Cox
Danny Cox
Danny Bradford Cox , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1983 to 1988, the Philadelphia Phillies from 1991 to 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992, and then the Toronto Blue Jays from 1993 to 1995, when he retired...
(of the Cardinals) and Charlie Leibrandt
Charlie Leibrandt
Charles Louis "Charlie" Leibrandt, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1979 to 1993 for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. Leibrandt was a productive pitcher throughout his 14 year career, and a member of the 1985 World Series...
(of the Royals) had battled back and forth all game long. Todd Worrell
Todd Worrell
Todd Roland Worrell is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers from to ....
came into the game for the Cardinals in the 9th inning, first facing Jorge Orta
Jorge Orta
Jorge Orta Núñez is a retired professional baseball player.He made his debut with the Chicago White Sox on April 15, 1972. Through the 1970s, he played usually second baseman but also third baseman and also some outfield...
, the leadoff batter for the Royals. Orta hit a slow roller to first baseman Jack Clark
Jack Clark (baseball)
Jack Anthony Clark , also known as "Jack the Ripper," is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1975 through 1992, Clark played for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox...
, who tossed to Worrell covering first base.
Denkinger was the umpire at first base and called Orta safe, even though television replays and photographs clearly showed that he was out by half a step. The Cardinals argued briefly, but Denkinger refused to reverse it. The Royals went on to win Game 6 by the score of 2-1.
Game 7
As crew chief of the 1985 World Series umpiring unit, Denkinger was scheduled to work behind home plate in Game 7, a fact that further upset the Cardinals and manager Whitey HerzogWhitey Herzog
Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...
. Some observers suggested that the presence of Denkinger behind the plate affected the Cardinals' gameplay, as ace pitcher John Tudor got off to a terrible start, giving up five earned runs and four walks in only innings. Tudor was so disgusted by his performance, that he subsequently punched an electrical fan with his pitching hand. Todd Worrell (while being interviewed on ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic is a sports channel that features reruns of famous sporting events, sports documentaries, and sports themed movies. Such programs includes biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a famous World Series or Super Bowl, often with added commentary on the event...
's The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame... is a sports series that debuted in 2005 and aired on ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. The show ran from April 2005 to April 2007. The show was canceled when ESPN Classic phased out the production of original programs. Some episodes were planned but never completed...
about Don Denkinger's involvement in the 1985 World Series) would later compare the idea of Don Denkinger working behind home plate to putting a stick of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
back there and lighting it.
The Cardinals made their frustrations clear throughout the game. ABC television cameras caught Herzog screaming and belittling Denkinger from the Cardinals' dugout throughout the contest. Pitcher Joaquín Andújar
Joaquín Andújar
Joaquín Andújar is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who became one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball while playing with the St. Louis Cardinals in the mid-80s.-Early years:...
exploded twice over Denkinger's calls at the plate during the 5th inning, finally being ejected with Herzog after a heated argument over Denkinger's strike zone. Herzog even went so far as to directly tell Denkinger that had he gotten "the call" right in Game 6, the Cardinals would not have been subjected to a seventh game in the first place. (Denkinger then replied that if the Cardinals were batting better than .120 in the Series, there would have been no need for a Game 7 either.) In the immediate aftermath of his meltdown, Andújar smashed a toilet in the Cardinals' clubhouse. The Cardinals were completely demolished by the Royals as Kansas City would go on to win Game 7 in an 11-0 blowout, taking home their first and only World Series Trophy
World Series Trophy
The Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League...
.
Life after The Call
In the immediate aftermath of the 1985 World Series debacle, Denkinger received many hateful letters (including death threatDeath threat
A death threat is a threat of death, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or groups of people. These threats are usually designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behavior, thus a death threat is a form of coercion...
s) from Cardinals fans. Two St. Louis disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s went so far as to reveal Denkinger's telephone number and home address. At one point, Denkinger pulled up to his house to find a police car in the driveway of his Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
, home. Denkinger claimed that the letters continued on through 1987
1987 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals ; Frank Viola, MVP**American League Championship Series: Gary Gaetti, MVP**National League Championship Series: Jeff Leonard, MVP...
(before Denkinger got into contact with Major League Baseball Security, who in turn contacted the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
), when the Cardinals
1987 St. Louis Cardinals season
The 1987 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 106th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 96th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-67 during the season and finished first in the National League East Division for the third and last time before moving to the NL Central in 1994....
were ramping up for another World Series
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
appearance (this time against the Minnesota Twins). The breaking point for Denkinger was when he received a particularly menacing letter (with no return address) in which the writer tells that if he sees Denkinger in person, he would "blow him away" with a .357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
.
Ironically, the strongest part of his career likely followed the 1985 events; two years later, he was behind the plate for the All-Star Game
1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 58th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 1987 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland,...
, and he was again named crew chief for the 1988 ALCS
1988 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1988 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn an interview conducted before Game 1, José Canseco denied reports in that day's Washington Post by baseball reporter Thomas Boswell that he had used steroids...
, 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
, and 1992 ALCS
1992 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1992 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe first game of the series had Oakland's Dave Stewart face off against Toronto's Jack Morris. The A's put up a three-spot against Morris in the second inning, as Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach hit back-to-back home runs...
. He is one of only four umpires to have been selected as crew chief for the ALCS three times.
More than 20 years after the fateful events in Kansas City
Kauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
in October 1985, Denkinger has regularly appeared at sports memorabilia shows (including ones in St. Louis) willing to autograph photos depicting "The Call." Denkinger even owns a painting featuring himself, Todd Worrell, and Jorge Orta involved in the play, claiming that he keeps it to remind himself that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. In September 2005, he was a guest speaker at a 20th anniversary dinner celebrating the Cardinals' 1985 team, benefiting the Whitey Herzog Youth Foundation.
External links
- BaseballLibrary.com - profile and list of articles
- St. Louis Sports Online: "Hey! Somebody's Gotta Like the Guy..." - 1998 article on Denkinger's retirement, defending his career