Umpired in the Major Leagues for 21 years and 2,195 games…85 career ejections...first Major League game was May 29, 1987 (Cubs at Braves)...final Major League game was October 3, 2010 (Athletics at Mariners)...3 Division Series...1 All-Star Game...56 years old...Did not appear on UEFL Standings in 2011, as Hohn was on the Disabled List.
For more information, see Hired: Todd Tichenor.
I think he was a great umpire, and wish him well...he had his moments, but overall was a good ump.
ReplyDeleteBilly was an umpire's umpire and i'm sad that this is the end. He lived for umpiring and i'm sure wuld give anything to be on the field. Let me give a little background to the man. When he lost his job due the the failed resignations in the late 90s, baseball was all he knew. Many umpires complained did TV and radio interviews and bemoaned their fates. Billy went out and worked... COLLEGE baseball... and not premeire college games. JUCO, Division II any low level game he could work so he could support his family. He was working odd jobs at the time as well because he wouldn't sit around and feel sorry for himself.
ReplyDeleteHere's a quick story: Billy was assigned a Division II game and he was working with a guy who thought of himself as a big shot and did not know who Billy was. In between innings big shot calls Hohn down and says all the things Hohn is doing wrong. Hohn apologizes and says "I'm sorry it's been a while since i've worked a two man game. Give me a while it will come back to me." Big shot calls the assignor that night and complains how much this "new guy" was out of position. Assignor says, "Don't you know who that is? You worked with a big league umpire today." Billy never once said who he was never one upped the guy. That is someone we can all look up to. So the next time you get a varsity HS umpire who looks down at JV umpires or a college ump who looks down at HS umpires.... etc Just tell em the Billy Hohn Story!!
Great story! I am so lucky to work with guys (who work semi-pro, international baseball, or on the list for international baseball) who still walk up to me when I work with them and ask how their zone was or what I thought about the banger. This is a brotherhood, and as Dick Runchey (Google him) told us at a clinic, it is a 3 hour marriage so support each other.
ReplyDeleteHe was an awful umpire. Might be the greatest guy in the world, but he was a terrible, hair-trigger, attention-seeking, fight-starting ump. Glad he's done.
ReplyDeleteClearly the guy that said Hohn was awful isn't an umpire. Keep up the rat loving
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