Lou DiMuro
Encyclopedia
Louis John DiMuro was an American
umpire
in Major League Baseball
who worked in the American League
from 1963
until his death.
, New York
, and attended Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City, New Jersey
, where he played football
, and then Jersey City Junior College. He served in the Air Force
in West Germany
, but a broken finger while in the service ended his baseball playing career, and he turned to umpiring, graduating from the Al Somers School and working in the Kitty League
(1955), Northern League
(1956), Eastern League (1957) and International League
(1958–62). He joined the AL staff and immediately worked a full schedule as a rookie in 1963. He was selected to work the World Series
in 1969
and 1976
, the All-Star Game
in 1965, 1967, 1972 and 1981
, and the American League Championship Series
in 1971
, 1975
, and 1978
, serving as crew chief in 1978.
held a 3 games to 1 lead over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles
, and were looking to close the series at home in front of a raucous crowd at Shea Stadium
. The Orioles, behind the pitching of ace Dave McNally
, led 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning when a pitch from McNally was low and inside to Mets leadoff hitter Cleon Jones
. DiMuro, the home plate umpire, called the pitch a ball, but New York manager Gil Hodges
appealed the ruling, believing the pitch hit Jones.
Hodges showed the ball to DiMuro, and pointed out a speck of black shoe polish to DiMuro. DiMuro accepted Hodges' explanation, and awarded Jones first base. Baltimore manager Earl Weaver
, who had been ejected from Game 4 by umpire Shag Crawford
for arguing balls and strikes, immediately came out and vehemently protested DiMuro's decision, to no avail. Donn Clendenon
followed Jones by launching a two-run home run
into the Baltimore bullpen in left field, pulling the Mets to within 3-2.
The Mets tied the game in the seventh on a leadoff home run by light-hitting shortstop Al Weis
, and scored two runs in the eighth with the help of two Baltimore errors
. Jones caught a fly ball from Davey Johnson
for the game's final out and a 5-3 New York victory, setting off a wild celebration. Notably, DiMuro had been behind the plate barely two months earlier on August 13, 1969 when the Orioles' Jim Palmer
pitched an 8-0 no-hitter
against the Oakland Athletics
.
and Texas Rangers
at Arlington Stadium
, DiMuro ate dinner with Rangers coach Darrell Johnson
. DiMuro attempted to walk back to his hotel following dinner at about 11 pm, but he was struck by a car as he attempted to cross a busy street, and died about two hours later at Arlington Memorial Hospital of massive head injuries which resulted from striking his head on the car's windshield; no charges were filed against the driver. According to fellow umpire Durwood Merrill
, who was on DiMuro's crew at the time of his death, the attending doctors said there was nothing that could have been done to save DiMuro's life. Merrill and fellow crew members Larry Barnett
and Mike Reilly were too upset to pack DiMuro's belongings in his hotel room following the accident. That task fell to Al Clark, who was part of the incoming crew working the Rangers' series vs. the Seattle Mariners
.
DiMuro resided in Floral Park, New York
before moving to Westfield, New York
prior to the 1968 season; he moved to Tucson, Arizona
before the 1976 season, and was buried in Tucson's East Lawn Cemetery.
Rocky Roe
was named to the American League staff as DiMuro's full-time replacement, joining Barnett, Merrill and Reilly for a series in Milwaukee
between the Brewers
and Baltimore Orioles
. DiMuro's number 16, worn since the AL adopted uniform numbers for its' umpires in 1980, was retired by the league after his death until the leagues' umpires were consolidated under MLB in 2000, and all numbers became available again. DiMuro's son, Mike
, an umpire since 1999, began wearing number 16 to honor his father in 2000.
At the time of his death, DiMuro was one of only seven umpires still using the outside chest proector, which had been favored for many decades by AL umpires long after National League
arbiters switched to the inside protector, introduced by Baseball Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem
in the dead-ball era
. Of the other outside protector holdovers, Bill Haller
retired after working the 1982 World Series
. Dale Ford
switched back to the inside protector after the 1983 season (he had used the inside protector in 1981), while George Maloney and Russ Goetz retired after that season. Bill Kunkel
died of cancer in May, 1985, leaving Jerry Neudecker
as the last one. Neudecker retired after the 1985 season. The last active umpire to use the balloon protector, Joe Brinkman
, switched to the inside protector in 1980.
His five children included sons Mike
and Ray, who also went on to umpire in the major leagues; Mike has been a major league umpire since 1999, and Ray worked occasionally as a substitute umpire in the AL from 1996 to 1999.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 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 1963
1963 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers beat New York Yankees ; Sandy Koufax, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5–3; Willie Mays, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: USC...
until his death.
Career
DiMuro was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and attended Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, where he played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and then Jersey City Junior College. He served in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, but a broken finger while in the service ended his baseball playing career, and he turned to umpiring, graduating from the Al Somers School and working in the Kitty League
Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League
The Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League was a Class D minor league baseball circuit that went through six different lives. The first KITTY League played from 1903 through 1906. The next one ran from 1910 through 1914. The third try played a single season . The circuit was revived in 1922 and lasted...
(1955), Northern League
Northern League (baseball, 1902-71)
This article refers to the original incarnations of the Northern League, which operated between 1902 and 1971. For the more recent league, see Northern League ...
(1956), Eastern League (1957) and International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
(1958–62). He joined the AL staff and immediately worked a full schedule as a rookie in 1963. He was selected to work 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 1969
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
and 1976
1976 World Series
The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...
, 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 1965, 1967, 1972 and 1981
1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 52nd 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 August 9, 1981, at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of...
, and the 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...
in 1971
1971 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 3, 1971 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandDave McNally, a 20-game winner for the fourth season in a row, survived a rocky start to win the opener. He trailed, 3–0, after four innings pitched, giving up three doubles and a triple. The A's had McNally tottering in the...
, 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....
, and 1978
1978 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1978 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriPrior to the start of this game, both teams had to deal with bad news. Ron Guidry, he of the incredible 25–3 Cy Young Award-winning season, would be unavailable to start until Game 4, if played, at least...
, serving as crew chief in 1978.
1969 World Series
In Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
held a 3 games to 1 lead over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, and were looking to close the series at home in front of a raucous crowd at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. The Orioles, behind the pitching of ace Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
, led 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning when a pitch from McNally was low and inside to Mets leadoff hitter Cleon Jones
Cleon Jones
Cleon Joseph Jones is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered as the man who caught the final out of the "Miracle Mets" improbable World Series Championship over the Baltimore Orioles....
. DiMuro, the home plate umpire, called the pitch a ball, but New York manager Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
appealed the ruling, believing the pitch hit Jones.
Hodges showed the ball to DiMuro, and pointed out a speck of black shoe polish to DiMuro. DiMuro accepted Hodges' explanation, and awarded Jones first base. Baltimore manager Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
, who had been ejected from Game 4 by umpire Shag Crawford
Shag Crawford
Henry Charles "Shag" Crawford was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1956 to 1975. During his twenty seasons in the National League, Crawford worked more than 3,100 games and as a home plate umpire was notable for getting in a low crouch and resting...
for arguing balls and strikes, immediately came out and vehemently protested DiMuro's decision, to no avail. Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
followed Jones by launching a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
into the Baltimore bullpen in left field, pulling the Mets to within 3-2.
The Mets tied the game in the seventh on a leadoff home run by light-hitting shortstop Al Weis
Al Weis
Albert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
, and scored two runs in the eighth with the help of two Baltimore errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. Jones caught a fly ball from Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
for the game's final out and a 5-3 New York victory, setting off a wild celebration. Notably, DiMuro had been behind the plate barely two months earlier on August 13, 1969 when the Orioles' Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
pitched an 8-0 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"...
against the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Death
DiMuro was bothered by an ailing hip in his later career, but refused to retire. Following a June 6, 1982 game between the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
at Arlington Stadium
Arlington Stadium
Arlington Stadium was a baseball stadium located in Arlington, Texas, United States, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. It served as the home for the Texas Rangers from 1972 until 1993, when the team moved into The Ballpark in Arlington .-1960s:The stadium was built in 1965 as Turnpike...
, DiMuro ate dinner with Rangers coach Darrell Johnson
Darrell Johnson
Darrell Dean Johnson was an American Major League Baseball catcher, coach, manager and scout.-Playing career:...
. DiMuro attempted to walk back to his hotel following dinner at about 11 pm, but he was struck by a car as he attempted to cross a busy street, and died about two hours later at Arlington Memorial Hospital of massive head injuries which resulted from striking his head on the car's windshield; no charges were filed against the driver. According to fellow umpire Durwood Merrill
Durwood Merrill
Edwin Durwood Merrill was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League for 23 seasons ....
, who was on DiMuro's crew at the time of his death, the attending doctors said there was nothing that could have been done to save DiMuro's life. Merrill and fellow crew members Larry Barnett
Larry Barnett
Lawrence Robert Barnett is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1969 to 1999 before becoming the major leagues' supervisor of umpires in 2000-2001.-Career:...
and Mike Reilly were too upset to pack DiMuro's belongings in his hotel room following the accident. That task fell to Al Clark, who was part of the incoming crew working the Rangers' series vs. the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
.
DiMuro resided in Floral Park, New York
Floral Park, New York
Floral Park is an incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island. The population as of the US Census of 2010 is 15,863. The village is at the western border of Nassau County, and is located in both the Town of Hempstead and the Town of North Hempstead...
before moving to Westfield, New York
Westfield (village), New York
Westfield is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. USA. The population was 3,481 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westfield lies within the Town of Westfield in the northern part of the county...
prior to the 1968 season; he moved to Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
before the 1976 season, and was buried in Tucson's East Lawn Cemetery.
Rocky Roe
Rocky Roe
John Andrew "Rocky" Roe is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1979 to 1999 and in both leagues in 2000 and 2001. He officiated in the 1990 and 1999 World Series, as well as the 1984 and 1994 All-Star Games...
was named to the American League staff as DiMuro's full-time replacement, joining Barnett, Merrill and Reilly for a series in Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
between the Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. DiMuro's number 16, worn since the AL adopted uniform numbers for its' umpires in 1980, was retired by the league after his death until the leagues' umpires were consolidated under MLB in 2000, and all numbers became available again. DiMuro's son, Mike
Mike DiMuro
Michael Ryan DiMuro is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He currently resides in Colorado, is married and has three children: Megan, Cross and Michael. DiMuro graduated from the University of San Diego with a B.A. in Communications im 1990...
, an umpire since 1999, began wearing number 16 to honor his father in 2000.
At the time of his death, DiMuro was one of only seven umpires still using the outside chest proector, which had been favored for many decades by AL umpires long after 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...
arbiters switched to the inside protector, introduced by Baseball Hall of Fame umpire 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...
in the dead-ball era
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
. Of the other outside protector holdovers, Bill Haller
Bill Haller
William Edward Haller is a retired Major League Baseball umpire. Haller officiated 3,068 regular season games in the American League from 1961 and from 1963–1982...
retired after working the 1982 World Series
1982 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1982 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Brewers' left-hander Mike Caldwell pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The Brewers' offense was led by Paul Molitor, who had a World Series-record five hits and two RBIs...
. Dale Ford
Dale Ford
Robert Dale Ford is a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing the 6th district, which is composed of parts of Washington County and Hawkins County. He is a member of the Agriculture and Transportation Committees.He lives in Jonesborough with his wife Joyce. He has 5 children...
switched back to the inside protector after the 1983 season (he had used the inside protector in 1981), while George Maloney and Russ Goetz retired after that season. Bill Kunkel
Bill Kunkel (baseball)
William Gustave James Kunkel was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1963 who went on to a career as an American League umpire from 1968 until his death. His son Jeff was a major league shortstop from 1984 to 1992.Kunkel was born in Hoboken, New Jersey...
died of cancer in May, 1985, leaving Jerry Neudecker
Jerry Neudecker
Jerome A. Neudecker was a Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the American League from to...
as the last one. Neudecker retired after the 1985 season. The last active umpire to use the balloon protector, Joe Brinkman
Joe Brinkman
Joseph Norbert Brinkman is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1973 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 until his retirement during the 2006 season....
, switched to the inside protector in 1980.
His five children included sons Mike
Mike DiMuro
Michael Ryan DiMuro is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He currently resides in Colorado, is married and has three children: Megan, Cross and Michael. DiMuro graduated from the University of San Diego with a B.A. in Communications im 1990...
and Ray, who also went on to umpire in the major leagues; Mike has been a major league umpire since 1999, and Ray worked occasionally as a substitute umpire in the AL from 1996 to 1999.