2019 UEFL Award for Honorable - Cooper & Guccione

Eric Cooper & Chris Guccione are 2019's Honorable Umpires of the Year [2018 Winners: Ted Barrett & Phil Cuzzi].
Voting Results (Top 4): Cooper (31.2%), Guccione (11.4%), Barrett (6.4%), Cederstrom (3.5%).

Eric Cooper and Chris Guccione are the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's 2019 Honorable Umpires of the Year.

When Cooper passed away following his Division Series assignment, prior to the World Series, the compliments and accolades were plentiful from players, coaches, broadcasters, and, of course, other umpires.

Coop's longtime Crew Chief and mentor Mike Reilly spoke of Cooper on The Plate Meeting Podcast in October, saying that one of his fondest memories was how well Cooper treated Reilly's own children. It was Cooper's work off the field through charitable endeavors and and all-around resilient attitude that earns him this postseason award.
Related Post: Podcast - Mike Reilly Recalls Crew Mate Eric Cooper (10/24/19).

After a 13-year-old umpire in Colorado presided over a game-ending brawl involving parents on the field during a matchup of seven-year-old players, Guccione reached out and invited the youth umpire to a major league game in Denver, explaining, "I thought it was the perfect opportunity to reach out to Josh, not only to him but his family, to say, 'Hey, I'm proud of you, I'm rooting for you and what you did was the right thing.'"

Wrote Russ, "For Gooch to show Cordova he has his back is special in a way non Officials just cannot understand. I said it at the time and I will say it again, best call Gooch made all season! Oh and he had another fantastic season on the field getting his third straight LCS and being lined up for a Game 7 plate."
Related Post: Chris Guccione to Host Youth Lakewood Umpire (6/28/19).
Related Post: Umpires Host Cordova in Colorado (7/1/19).
UEFL Awards History, Eric Cooper
Most Improved Umpire: 2019.
Disappointing Season: 2018.

UEFL Awards History, Chris Guccione
(Best) Umpire of the Year: 2016.
Noteworthy Umpire of the Year: 2011, 2012.

Eric Cooper now has 14 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (12 Prev + 2 Award = 14).
Chris Guccione now has 1 point in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (-1 Prev + 2 Award = 1).
The next postseason award, Promising Umpire of the Year, will be released Thursday.