Previous Poll (Average Ejection Rate) Results: Our previous poll, Polls: Ejection Rate, asked what your own personal ejection rate is, on average. Combining your votes on the blog and on our Facebook page, we see that most umpires use the ejection sparingly and after many other means of reasoning and communication have proved fruitless. Here is your average ejection rate, along with some comparative MLB Active, Retired/DL, *AAA Fill-in/Replacement*, and Hall of Fame Umpire rates both past and present (Total Votes: 307):
- Once Every 50+ Games - 28% - Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 50+ range: Emmett Ashford (1 ejection per 90 games worked), Tim Welke (1 per 90), Don Denkinger (1 per 88), Doug Harvey (1 per 85), Jim Wolf (1 per 80), Mike Reilly (1 per 75), CB Bucknor (1 per 74), Jeff Kellogg (1 per 70), Jim Joyce (1 per 65), Al Barlick (1 per 60), Jerry Crawford (1 per 51), Bruce Froemming (1 per 51).
- Once Every 30-50 Games - 16% - Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 30-50 range: Tim Keefe (1 per 49)`, Cal Hubbard (1 per 44), Ted Barrett (1 per 42), Shag Crawford (1 per 41), Tim Tschida (1 per 41), Tom Connolly (1 per 38), Tom Hallion (1 per 35), Dan Iassogna (1 per 34), *Angel Campos (1 per 33)*, Jocko Conlan (1 per 32), Rob Drake (1 per 30), *D.J. Reyburn (1 per 30)*.
- Once Every 25-29 Games - 10% - In 2010, the average umpire ejected a person approximately once every 30 games.* Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 25-30 range: Joe West (1 per 29), Tim Timmons (1 per 28), Hunter Wendelstedt (1 per 27), Angel Hernandez (1 per 27), Bill Hohn (1 per 26), Doug Eddings (1 per 26).
- Once Every 20-24 Games - 8% - Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 20-24 range: Bob Davidson (1 per 23), Cy Rigler (1 per 22), Ray DiMuro (1 per 20)*.
- Once Every 15-19 Games - 7% - Some Umpires who fall into the 15-19 range: Bill Klem (1 per 19), *Casey Moser (1 per 19)*^, *Andy Anderson (1 per 19)*^, Silk O'Loughlin (1 per 18), Ed Andrews (1 per 17), Augie Guglielmo (1 per 17), Bud Lally (1 per 15)^, Chief Zimmer (1 per 15).
- Once Every 10-14 Games - 7% - Bob Davidson, who led the League with 10 ejections last season, averaged one ejection per 13 games in 2010. In 2010, MLB experienced an ejection an average of once every 12.1 games.* Some Umpires who fall into the 10-14 range: Charles Mitchell (1 per 11)^, Lord Byron (1 per 10), Garnet Bush (1 per 10).
- I have never ejected a person - 6% - Some Umpires who fall into this category: Ron Barnes (0 per 352), Mike Walsh (0 per 304), *Darren Spagnardi (0 per 91)*, *Dave Aschwege (0 per 47)*
- N/A - I don't umpire - 6% - Consistent with our previous polling (Polls: Umpiring Experience), a single digit percentage of UEFL'ers have never umpired (we salute you!)
- Once Every 7-9 Games - 2% - Marty Foster, who led the League with 14 ejections in 2005, averaged one ejection per 9 games in 2005. He averaged one ejection per 35 games in 2010. Some Umpires who fall into the 7-9 range: Oyster Burns (1 per 9)^, *Don January (1 per 7)*^&%, *Hank Rountree (1 per 7)*^, *Darrel Mason (1 per 7)*^&%, *Frank Ballina (1 per 7)*^&%.
- Once Every 2-6 Games - 2% - Some Umpires who fall into the 2-6 range: Clarence Eldridge (1 per 6)^%, *Mark Widlowski (1 per 5 [Ejection occurred in his 4th MLB game])*^&%, *Larry Walding (1 per 5 [Ejection occurred in his 4th MLB game])*^&%, Phil Baker (1 per 5 [Ejection occurred in his 5th and final game, 1889])^&, Jack Doyle (1 per 4)^.
- Once a Game - 1% - Really? I wonder if some votes are from some of those who responded "Pro (at least one MLB Game)" in Polls: Umpiring Experience...
^Indicates a sample size less than 100 games.
`Tim Keefe was selected to the Hall of Fame as a player.
&These Umpires worked less than 10 games at the Big League Level and had only one ejection each.
%Ballina, January, Mason, Walding & Widlowski additionally all worked the final week of April through May 2, 1995 during an umpires' lock-out.
*Notice the apparent disparity in average rates of ejection between Umpire and Game. With the average umpire ejecting once per ≈ 30 games & the average ejection occurring once per ≈ 12 games, what accounts for this difference? Here's your clue: "AAA."
Interesting Facts:
Has an umpire ever worked only one AL/NL/MLB game and ejected someone in that game? Yes. In 1907, Boston Doves pitcher (and former postal carrier) Vive Lindaman, working as a field umpire, ejected Superbas shortstop Phil Lewis after "a long wrangle" in the top of the 13th of the Superbas-Doves game (the second of a double-header). The Superbas eventually beat the Doves 4-3 (and swept the series). Lindaman never umpired again.
Fastest 1st Ejection, "Big Name" Umpire: Rick Reed ejected Indians Manager Jeff Torborg in Reed's first ever MLB game.
Most All Time Ejections: Bill Klem called for an ejection 279 times over the course of his storied career.
Fewest All Time Ejections: During the 1890s and 1900s, many players and coaches took turns umpiring a few games each without producing ejections. Since then, many umpires have likewise never ejected a soul.
Most Games Worked with Fewest Ejections: Ron Barnes worked 352 games and recorded zero ejections.
Most Ejections in One Season: Bill Klem racked up 26 ejections - or 1 per 6 games - in his rookie season of 1905. He dropped down to 15 in 1906, but returned to 21 in 1907 (and again in 1911). After dropping to 8 ejections in 1908, Klem received his first World Series assignment. In 1903, rookie ump Augie Moran ejected 24 (losing steam, he would only eject 12 more over three more umpiring seasons). Years later, Frank Dascoli had 22 ejections of his own, claiming third place on the list.
Highest Rate: Joe Hornung, pitcher for Boston at the time, ejected 2 people over 9 games in 1896. At a rate of one ejection per 4.5 games Hornung holds the lead for highest rate of ejection. Former player-manager Jack Doyle ejected nine people over 42 games in 1911. At a rate of one ejection per 4.67 games, Doyle closely trails Hornung for the lead.
`Tim Keefe was selected to the Hall of Fame as a player.
&These Umpires worked less than 10 games at the Big League Level and had only one ejection each.
%Ballina, January, Mason, Walding & Widlowski additionally all worked the final week of April through May 2, 1995 during an umpires' lock-out.
*Notice the apparent disparity in average rates of ejection between Umpire and Game. With the average umpire ejecting once per ≈ 30 games & the average ejection occurring once per ≈ 12 games, what accounts for this difference? Here's your clue: "AAA."
Interesting Facts:
Has an umpire ever worked only one AL/NL/MLB game and ejected someone in that game? Yes. In 1907, Boston Doves pitcher (and former postal carrier) Vive Lindaman, working as a field umpire, ejected Superbas shortstop Phil Lewis after "a long wrangle" in the top of the 13th of the Superbas-Doves game (the second of a double-header). The Superbas eventually beat the Doves 4-3 (and swept the series). Lindaman never umpired again.
Fastest 1st Ejection, "Big Name" Umpire: Rick Reed ejected Indians Manager Jeff Torborg in Reed's first ever MLB game.
Most All Time Ejections: Bill Klem called for an ejection 279 times over the course of his storied career.
Fewest All Time Ejections: During the 1890s and 1900s, many players and coaches took turns umpiring a few games each without producing ejections. Since then, many umpires have likewise never ejected a soul.
Most Games Worked with Fewest Ejections: Ron Barnes worked 352 games and recorded zero ejections.
Most Ejections in One Season: Bill Klem racked up 26 ejections - or 1 per 6 games - in his rookie season of 1905. He dropped down to 15 in 1906, but returned to 21 in 1907 (and again in 1911). After dropping to 8 ejections in 1908, Klem received his first World Series assignment. In 1903, rookie ump Augie Moran ejected 24 (losing steam, he would only eject 12 more over three more umpiring seasons). Years later, Frank Dascoli had 22 ejections of his own, claiming third place on the list.
Highest Rate: Joe Hornung, pitcher for Boston at the time, ejected 2 people over 9 games in 1896. At a rate of one ejection per 4.5 games Hornung holds the lead for highest rate of ejection. Former player-manager Jack Doyle ejected nine people over 42 games in 1911. At a rate of one ejection per 4.67 games, Doyle closely trails Hornung for the lead.
Current Poll: Per our previous poll, around nine out of 10 UEFL'ers have ejected one or multiple persons throughout their careers. Our current poll asks who you tend to eject most often. Selecting only one option, what class of personnel do you eject more than any other? Your choices: player, coach, spectator: parent, spectator: other. And, yes, asking Game Management to remove a spectator counts as an ejection even if you do not dump 'em yourself.
When you eject, who do you most often eject?
When you eject, who do you most often eject?
7 comments :
I would like to see another question or poll, based off the current poll question.
The new question is:
"Could have" ejections. How many times a season do umpires encounter a situation where an ejection "could have" happened, but for whatever reason, did not result in a disqualification?
I find when I don't know the teams, I will more likely eject a player. If I'm working a league, where I know some of the players for over 20 years, I find myself allowing for emotion after a call. In leagues (college wood bat) where you have to see players repeatedly over and over again, it's important to be firm, but one must realize that emotion is part of the game, and as long as the words used are not personal, I can allow for a bat to be flipped, or a helmet to be thrown. Quite often players will apologize later in the season after they realize they "could have" been ejected for what they did after my call. The players can become more respectful, even if they think you made a bad call, under the idea that I was the bigger man, and didn't have to eject the player. Umpires are well paid, and part of that pay is taking the heat. Some guys cannot take the heat and eject at every infraction. I used to do that, but except for the big leagues, that type of attitude is unrealistic. Remember the game is for the players. And just because an umpire doesn't eject a player for his actions, everybody who witnessed the player yelling knows HE'S the one who's the idiot. Quite often after an ejection the focus is on the umpire, and the players actions are long forgotten. I always like to hear, "You should have thrown him out 2 innings ago". That way I know I've done my job, and the player has ejected himself. BTW...... players always eject themselves, umpires never do!
Of course, there are times when a softer tone doesn't work, and you must be prepared for that!
That's a great idea for our next poll or discussion, thanks!
Out of the 25 or 30 ejections I've had over 8 years, only 3 have been non-coaches.
I am very patient with the players (who usually do not give me much lip service, anyhow), fans (I've only ejected one, and that was for usage of a derogatory term...) and coaches.
However, coaches in non-high school association games are usually unintelligible, ignorant, and unable to maintain an even temperament. This leads to the occasional conflict, because I tend to be less tolerant of ignorance - particularly when these people are supposed to be teaching the game to youths.
I thought Ron Barnes was the plate umpire in a game in 1990 when Rick Dempsey and Lenny Dykstra got into a fight at the plate. Both players were ejected. Maybe he didn't get credit for the ej's and they went to the cc and that's why he has zero. It wasn't an argument, but they were ej's no less.
Yes, you are correct. With a bench clearing event, the crew chief often takes the ejections. With Randy Marsh, Harry Wendelstedt, and Joe West on the bases, you can bet that even though the dispute started right in front of Barnes, by the time it ended, Harry Wendelstedt had taken the ejection. Wendlestedt finished 1990 with a career high (for him) nine ejections, thanks in part to Dempsey and Dykstra. Recall, too, that Barnes was a Fill-In umpire in 1990. This was only his 33rd big league game and 7th plate job.
After the game, Wendelstedt spoke out: ""As long as we have this prehistoric fine structure - $50, $100, $200, the same as it was 50 years ago - I fear we're going to have brawl after brawl until baseball takes a stand to put an end to this. This is the third brawl I've seen in the last couple of weeks, and if we don't do something to stop it, we're going to lose somebody. We're going to have somebody seriously hurt. Other sports have come around. And we're going to have to have more severe fines for players who are making an average salary of over $500,000. And it's time we changed the rules so that nobody can come off the bench or in from the bullpen to join in. If they do, they should be suspended. Let's end this mob business. If two guys want to fight, let them. I don't think too many of them really want to."
This artsy photograph chronicles that fight quite well.
Thanks for the quick response. I apologize because had I done more due diligence I probably could have found the answer without you having to spend your time. Although the wealth of knowledge you have is quite impressive! I tip my cap to you. To Ron Barnes as well. 352 games and no ej's. You would almost think that implies he didn't take care of business, but nothing could be further from the truth. Barnes was a good umpire and paid his dues and it's a shame he never got a contract. He had some off the field issues (don't we all), but on the field he was solid and he did so for a long time. I hope he is well wherever he is and whatever he is doing.
Wow 352 games without an MLB ejection? That is impressive, and your right that doesn't mean he didn't take care of business. Good observation!
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