List of Major League Baseball umpires (A–F)

The following is a list of baseball umpires with surnames beginning with the letters A through F who officiated in Major League Baseball (MLB). The list includes those who worked in any of four 19th century major leagues (American Association, National Association, Players' League, Union Association), one defunct 20th century major league (Federal League), the currently active MLB, or either of its leagues (American League, National League) when they maintained separate umpiring staffs. All of the above leagues, with the exception of the National Association, are recognized by MLB’s Special Baseball Records Committee. The NA’s status as a major league is disputed, with some researchers such as those involved with Retrosheet including it in their major league statistics.

In the early days of organized baseball, umpires were unpaid volunteers. When the National Association formed in 1871, the home team would select a game’s umpire from a list provided by the away team. In 1878, the newly formed National League mandated that home teams pay their umpires, and provided them with a list to choose from. This is considered the first league organized umpiring staff, although the American Association became the first major league to pay their staff and assign them to games upon its founding in 1882.

Until the new American League popularized the two man system in 1902, all major leagues employed the use of the one man umpiring system. As the pace of baseball increased, umpires struggled to keep up, and it was not uncommon for players to be called in as substitute umpires in case of illness or injury. Adding a second umpire to games reduced this and the NL followed in 1912. The three man system became the standard in the 1930s, and the four man crew was instituted in 1952. The expansion of umpiring staffs in the American and National Leagues coincided with more stability, and less substitute umpires and call-ups from minor leagues.

In the 1960s, umpires in the National League began concentrated efforts to unionize, establishing a union in 1964. American League umpires joined in 1968, forming the Major League Umpires Association (MLUA). Prior to its dissolution, there were five instances of union action leading to MLB hiring substitute umpires in 1970, 1979, 1984, 1991 and 1995. The MLUA was replaced in 2000 by what is currently known as the Major League Baseball Umpires Association (MLBUA).

In 2020, MLB recognized seven leagues within Negro league baseball as major leagues: the first and second Negro National Leagues (1920–1931 and 1933–1948), the Eastern Colored League (1923–1928), the American Negro League (1929), the East–West League (1932), the Negro Southern League (1932), and the Negro American League (1937–1948). The Society for American Baseball Research considers the NAL’s 1949 and 1950 seasons to also be major league seasons, with Retrosheet including 1949 in their statistics. Records of the Negro major leagues are not as complete compared to other major leagues, and therefore information about the umpires who worked in those leagues is often unavailable.

Umpires who worked in the National Association are considered MLB umpires for the purposes of this list. Umpires who worked in the recognized Negro major leagues may also be added. Provided by Wikipedia