MLB Promotes Kerwin Danley to Crew Chief

Umpire Kerwin Danley will become MLB's first African American crew chief, as Major League Baseball promoted the 58-year-old Californian to fill one of four vacancies created by the retirements of chiefs Gary Cederstrom, Dana DeMuth, Mike Everitt, and Jeff Kellogg this 2019-2020 offseason.

Danley, who played baseball with Tony Gwynn and Bud Black at San Diego State, ascends to the on-field supervisory role with 45 ejections over 2,597 career regular season games. Danley has also officiated the 2019 Wild Card Game, seven Division Series, two League Championship Series, two World Series, and two All-Star Games.

He joins the crew chief ranks in his 29th overall MLB season (including call-up experience), having debuted in the National League in 1992. Danley was the UEFL's Promising Umpire (then-known-as Noteworthy Umpire) of the Year in 2007.

The Associated Press published news of Danley's promotion early Thursday morning.