Sunday, December 22, 2013

Billy Evans: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1973


Born: February 10, 1884

1902; Attended Cornell University

1904: Father died; Evans dropped out of Cornell

1904: Became sports reporter

c. 1904: Began umpping for extra cash

1906: Discovered by Charlie Morton, who recommended Evans to Ban Johnson

1906: Became youngest MLB ump in history (22 years old)

1906-27: MLB Umpire

1907: Umpired seven double-headers by himself

1907: Suffered skull fracture when a fan hit him with a bottle

1909: Umpired World Series

1912: Umpired World Series

1915: Umpired World Series

1917: Umpired World Series

1918-28: Sports Editor

1919: Umpired World Series

1921: Fistfight with Ty Cobb

1922: Third base umpire during Charlie Robertson's perfect game

1923: Umpired World Series

1927: Retired 

1927-35: GM Cleveland Indians

1936-40: Scout Boston Red Sox

1940: Resigned from Red Sox after they sold Pee Wee Reese over his objections

1941-2: GM Cleveland Rams

1942-6: President of the Southern Association

1946-51: GM Detroit Tigers

1946: Sold Hank Greenberg to Pirates

1947: Published Umpiring from the Inside

1950: Published Knotty Problems in Baseball

1952-6: Retirement

1956: Died 

1973: Elected to Hall of Fame

Accomplishments:

Six World Series

Pioneered running to base where a play took place in order to make the call

Advocated umpire training

Set High Standards of Professionalism

No comments: