Harry Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr. (born July 27, 1938 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a former 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...

 in Major League Baseball

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...

 who worked in the National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 from 1966 to 1998. He umpired in the 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...

 in 1973

1973 World Series

The 1973 World Series matched the defending champion Oakland Athletics against the New York Mets, with the A's winning in seven games to repeat as World Champions....

, 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...

, 1986

1986 World Series

The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...

, 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....

 and 1995

1995 World Series

-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta ace Greg Maddux pitched a two-hit complete game victory in his first World Series appearance ....

, serving as crew chief in 1980 and 1995. He also officiated in seven National League Championship Series

National League Championship Series

In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...

 (1970

1970 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Saturday, October 3, 1970 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCincinnati boasted dual heroes in subduing the Pirates in the opening game. Gary Nolan, an 18-game winner during the regular season, pitched nine shutout innings to edge Dock Ellis...

, 1972

1972 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Saturday, October 7, 1972 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaThe Reds got a first-inning homer from second baseman Joe Morgan to take a short-lived 1–0 lead. But Pittsburgh bounced back with three in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by an RBI triple from Al Oliver and...

, 1977

1977 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Tuesday, October 4, 1977 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe Phillies took the opening game of the series, winning their first postseason game since Game 1 of the 1915 World Series...

, 1981

1981 National League Championship Series

- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe Dodgers took the first game of the series behind the strong pitching of starter Burt Hooton. For the first seven innings the game stayed close, with the only scoring coming in the second inning when the Dodgers got...

, 1982

1982 National League Championship Series

The National League Championship Series was played between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves from October 6 to October 10.-Background:...

, 1988

1988 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Tuesday, October 4, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe series opened with a classic pitching matchup, pitting the Dodgers' Orel Hershiser, who had won 23 games during the regular season and carried a Major League record 59 consecutive scoreless innings into the game,...

, 1990

1990 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Thursday, October 4, 1990 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioBob Walk was the starting pitcher for Pittsburgh and José Rijo was on the mound for the Reds. The Reds had two doubles in the bottom half of the first inning and scored three runs. This would prove to be the only runs they...

) and four All-Star

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...

 games (1968

1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 39th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...

, 1976

1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 47th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 13, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, home of...

, 1983

1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 54th 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 6, 1983, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the...

, 1992

1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 63rd 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, 1992 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California, the...

), calling balls and strikes in 1976. He umpired in the National League Division Series

National League Division Series

In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...

 in 1995

1995 National League Division Series

-Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 3:Coors Field in Denver, ColoradoGame 1 was a match-up between aces: Greg Maddux for the Atlanta Braves and Kevin Ritz for the Colorado Rockies. Ritz and Maddux worked their way out of minor trouble early on, but, in the top of the third,...

, 1996

1996 National League Division Series

-Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 1:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Cardinals and Padres began their rivalry in this series. The Cardinals' first of three postseason victories against the Padres took place here. Their dominance is overwhelming to the tune of only one...

 and 1997

1997 National League Division Series

-Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves:-San Francisco vs. Florida:The San Francisco Giants made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1989 World Series. The Florida Marlins were in the postseason for the first time ever.-Game 1, September 30:...

. He wore uniform number 21.

Wendelstedt called balls and strikes in 5 no-hitter

No-hitter

A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

s, tying an NL record held by Bill Klem

Bill Klem

William Joseph Klem, born William Joseph Klimm , known as the "father of baseball umpires", was a National League umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941...

. As a home plate umpire, Wendelstedt was known for keeping a wide strike zone. When a batter struck out swinging, he flailed his right arm straight up in the air. When a batter struck out looking, he applied the notorious "chainsaw" move.

On May 31, 1968, Wendelstedt made a famous call that preserved Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale

Don Drysdale

Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...

's consecutive shutouts and scoreless innings streaks. Giants catcher Dick Dietz

Dick Dietz

Richard Allen Dietz was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 1973. Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Dietz enjoyed his best season in 1970 with the Giants, when he batted .300 with 22 home runs and...

 came to the plate in the top of the 9th inning with the bases loaded and no outs. On a 2-2 count, Drysdale hit Dietz on the elbow, apparently forcing in a run that would have ended the streaks. However, Wendelstedt ruled that Dietz made no attempt to avoid being struck by the pitch, and called him back. Drysdale retired Dietz on a short fly ball and got out of the inning without yielding a run, earning his fifth (of six) consecutive shutouts.

Wendelstedt's son, Harry Hunter Wendelstedt III

Hunter Wendelstedt

Harry Hunter Wendelstedt III is a baseball umpire who has worked in the National League in 1998-1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. His father Harry Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr. was an NL umpire from 1966 to 1998...

, followed in his father's footsteps and is a current major league umpire. The younger Wendelstedt goes by his middle name of "Hunter" professionally. To honor his father, Hunter also wears uniform number 21.

External links

• Retrosheet
• Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpires
• BaseballLibrary - list of articles