Tim Tschida
Encyclopedia
Timothy Joseph Tschida ( ; born May 4, 1960 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is an umpire
in Major League Baseball
. He joined the American League
's full-time staff in 1986, and has worked in both major leagues since 2000.
Prior to pursuing professional umpiring, he attended St. Thomas University
. His professional umpiring career began after he attended the Joe Brinkman
Umpire School in 1981. He was elevated to the AL for the 1986 season. In 2000, the American and National
Leagues combined umpiring staffs. He has worn uniform number 4 throughout his career.
He has worked in ten postseasons, including the World Series
in 1998
, 2002
and 2008
; the League Championship Series
in 1993
, 1999
, 2000
, and 2001
; and the Division Series
in 1996
, 1997
, 1998
, 2001
, 2002
, 2006
and 2007
. He worked the All-Star Game
in 1992
and 2002
. He was the second base umpire for the single-game playoff to decide the NL's 2007
wild card team. He was also the third base umpire for Kenny Rogers
's perfect game
on July 28, 1994, and the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan
's seventh no-hitter
on May 1, and Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter on September 14, 2008.
In the offseason, Tschida is involved in charity work including Meals on Wheels
and other Catholic
charities.
Tschida is known for his quality work and is a well-respected umpire, but is probably best known for a widely disputed call in the 1999 ALCS in which Chuck Knoblauch
applied a "phantom tag" to Jose Offerman
. The call was ranked the worst call in sports history by readers of ESPN
.com.
For the 2007 season, Tschida was promoted to a crew chief position, and his crew included Jim Joyce
, Jeff Nelson
and Jim Wolf
. His crew in 2011 includes Jeff Nelson
, Marty Foster
and Bill Welke
.
On June 28, 2007, Tschida made the controversial decision to allow New York Yankees
' Derek Jeter
to bat in the 7th inning of a then-tied game against the Baltimore Orioles
. Despite rain coming down so hard that Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora
was unable to even see the ball, Tschida allowed the at bat
to continue until Jeter drove in two runs on a double that was aided by field conditions. According to Mora, Tschida then cursed Mora repeatedly as Mora asked why the at-bat was allowed to occur under such unsafe conditions. "He just tried to make Jeter hit so they can score one run and they can get out of here. That's what I think," said Mora. The game was scheduled to be resumed on July 27 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
.
Tschida is one of the only MLB umpires that uses his fingers to show the current count after almost every pitch.
On July 7th, 2010 Tschida was the crew chief when a fan fell 30 feet trying to catch a foul ball.
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...
. He joined 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...
's full-time staff in 1986, and has worked in both major leagues since 2000.
Prior to pursuing professional umpiring, he attended St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (Florida)
St. Thomas University is a private Roman Catholic university in the Miami, Florida, United States suburb of Miami Gardens.-History:The University traces its roots to the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, founded in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, by...
. His professional umpiring career began after he attended the 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....
Umpire School in 1981. He was elevated to the AL for the 1986 season. In 2000, the American and National
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...
Leagues combined umpiring staffs. He has worn uniform number 4 throughout his career.
He has worked in ten postseasons, including 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 1998
1998 World Series
The 1998 World Series, the 94th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, matched the New York Yankees against the San Diego Padres . The Yankees swept the Series in four games to capture their second championship in three years, and their 24th overall...
, 2002
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
and 2008
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
; the League Championship Series
League Championship Series
The League Championship Series is the official name for a round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969...
in 1993
1993 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1993 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, IllinoisThe ALCS opened at Comiskey Park with a battle of aces, as Toronto threw Juan Guzmán against Chicago's Jack McDowell, the eventual 1993 American League Cy Young Award winner...
, 1999
1999 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 13, 1999 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 was a matchup between Kent Mercker and Orlando Hernández. The soon-to-be-named 1999 ALCS MVP got into trouble in the first two innings. After a leadoff single by Jose Offerman, John Valentin would reach on an error by...
, 2000
2000 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 11, 2000 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Mets jumped on Cardinals starter Darryl Kile right from the outset. Rookie Timo Pérez led off the game with a double into the right field corner, and following a walk to Edgardo Alfonzo, scored on a double by Mike Piazza...
, and 2001
2001 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 17, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, WashingtonGame 1's starting date was the latest ever for a League Championship series. The Yankees took a 1–0 lead on a Chuck Knoblauch single that scored Jorge Posada in the second, then increased it to 3–0 on a Paul O'Neill home run...
; and the Division Series
Division Series
In baseball, the Division Series is the official name for the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Currently, a total of four series are played in this opening round, two each for both the American League and the National League.-1981 season:...
in 1996
1996 American League Division Series
-Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 1:Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MarylandIt was Baltimore's first playoff game since the clinching Game 5 of the 1983 World Series. For the Indians, it was their second consecutive division title. Charles Nagy and David Wells matched...
, 1997
1997 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 1:Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonThe Orioles had gone wire-to-wire and the Mariners had won the AL West for the second time in the decade. In Game 1, both teams had their best on the mound: Mike Mussina for the Orioles and Randy Johnson for...
, 1998
1998 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox:-Game 1, September 29:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkScott Brosius was the hero of Game 1, as Todd Stottlemyre faced David Wells. In the bottom of the second, Stottlemyre yielded two runs when Brosius singled in Jorge Posada after Chad Curtis doubled and...
, 2001
2001 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Houston vs. Atlanta:The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, despite having the worst record among playoff teams. With that record, 2001 was also the Braves' worst season since 1990, when they had the worst record in baseball...
, 2002
2002 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Atlanta vs. San Francisco:The Atlanta Braves had won their eleventh straight division title. The San Francisco Giants were making their third appearance in the postseason since 1997...
, 2006
2006 American League Division Series
-Game 1, October 3:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkA five-run third inning by the Yankees put the game out of reach for the Tigers. Bobby Abreu doubled to score Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter . Gary Sheffield then singled in Abreu, and Jason Giambi launched a two-run home run for a commanding 5–0...
and 2007
2007 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 3:Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, Boston starter Josh Beckett threw a complete-game shut out, allowing the Red Sox to win the opener...
. He worked 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 1992
1992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
and 2002
2002 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. He was the second base umpire for the single-game playoff to decide the NL's 2007
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
wild card team. He was also the third 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...
's 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...
on July 28, 1994, and 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 seventh 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"...
on May 1, and Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter on September 14, 2008.
In the offseason, Tschida is involved in charity work including Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
and other Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
charities.
Tschida is known for his quality work and is a well-respected umpire, but is probably best known for a widely disputed call in the 1999 ALCS in which Chuck Knoblauch
Chuck Knoblauch
Edward Charles "Chuck" Knoblauch is a retired Major League Baseball player. He played all or part of twelve seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins , New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...
applied a "phantom tag" to Jose Offerman
José Offerman
José Antonio Offerman Dono is a former professional baseball player who played professional baseball for nearly 20 years...
. The call was ranked the worst call in sports history by readers of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com.
For the 2007 season, Tschida was promoted to a crew chief position, and his crew included Jim Joyce
Jim Joyce
James A. "Jim" Joyce III is a Major League Baseball umpire who has worked in the American League from 1987 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He wears uniform number 66...
, Jeff Nelson
Jeff Nelson (umpire)
Jeffrey Brian Nelson is an umpire in Major League Baseball who was named to the National League staff prior to the 1999 season, and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. Nelson, a graduate of Bethel University in St...
and Jim Wolf
Jim Wolf
James Michael Wolf is a Major League Baseball umpire. He joined the major league staff in 1999 after working in the Arizona Rookie League, the South Atlantic League, the California League, the Texas League and the Pacific Coast League. He wears uniform number 28...
. His crew in 2011 includes Jeff Nelson
Jeff Nelson (umpire)
Jeffrey Brian Nelson is an umpire in Major League Baseball who was named to the National League staff prior to the 1999 season, and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. Nelson, a graduate of Bethel University in St...
, Marty Foster
Marty Foster
Martin Robert Foster is an umpire in Major League Baseball. After first working in the American League in 1996, he joined the league staff in 1999 and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. He was the left field umpire in the 2002 All-Star Game at Miller Park...
and Bill Welke
Bill Welke
William Anthony "Bill" Welke is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He joined the major league staff in 1999 and wears uniform number 52....
.
On June 28, 2007, Tschida made the controversial decision to allow 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...
' Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
to bat in the 7th inning of a then-tied game against the 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...
. Despite rain coming down so hard that Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora
Melvin Mora
Melvin Mora , affectionately nicknamed Melmo or Melvy, is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder who is a free agent...
was unable to even see the ball, Tschida allowed the at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
to continue until Jeter drove in two runs on a double that was aided by field conditions. According to Mora, Tschida then cursed Mora repeatedly as Mora asked why the at-bat was allowed to occur under such unsafe conditions. "He just tried to make Jeter hit so they can score one run and they can get out of here. That's what I think," said Mora. The game was scheduled to be resumed on July 27 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home field of the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most highly praised. The park was...
.
Tschida is one of the only MLB umpires that uses his fingers to show the current count after almost every pitch.
On July 7th, 2010 Tschida was the crew chief when a fan fell 30 feet trying to catch a foul ball.