Passion For Umpiring Pushes West Past Milestone

Joe West was reminiscing about the memorable moments of what became the 5,000th regular-season major league game he has umpired, in a career that began back in September 1976.

- Tracy Ringolsby

Moments like Albert Pujols’ 400th home run and Willie McCovey’s 500th.

“Lot of guys today don’t know who Willie McCovey was,” he said.

There was Nolan Ryan’s fifth of seven no-hitters, the no-hitter Clay Buchholz threw in his second big league start for the Red Sox back on Sept. 1, 2007, and Felix Hernandez’s perfect game on Aug. 12, 2012.

“The great thing about this job is you witness a piece of history every day,” West said.

Like the first ejection of Bud Black’s managerial career, back when the current Rockies manager was with the Padres on May 31, 2007.

“Don’t remember,” said West, who has had a lengthy list of ejections.

Black, however, remembered. It was in Pittsburgh. Padres catcher Josh Bard hit what was called a home run. Bard circled the bases and was putting his catching gear back on when then-Pirates manager Jim Tracy challenged the ruling, claiming the ball actually hit off a railing on top of the fence and came back into play and should be ruled a double, not a home run.

The umpires agreed. West signaled that it was a ground-rule double. Bard charged out of the dugout in full catching gear right at West, who was near second base, and was quickly ejected, and then Black was out of the dugout to challenge the decision.