Former umpire Harry Wendelstedt passes away

[Cowtipper]

DAYTONA BEACH -- Retired Major League Baseball umpire Harry Wendelstedt died this morning at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center. He was 73.

Wendelstedt, a longtime Ormond Beach resident, umpired for 33 seasons in the majors, including five World Series, seven National League Championship Series and four All-Star Games.

Read more:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/breakingnews/2012/03/ormonds-harry-wendelstedt-major-league-baseball-umpire-dead-at-73.html

Anyone think he did enough to merit Hall of Fame consideration?

[Rich the Giants fan]

A true professional who commanded respect. RIP Blue.

[B Jansen 23]

Oh man, that's too bad. Definitely a pro's pro. RIP Harry.

[Los Bravos]

Always happy to see him doing a game. I knew you would see his best effort.

His "Sit down and shut up! You're embarrassing your date!" is the funniest line I've heard from an ump to a heckling fan.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Wasn't Harry the umpire with the loudest "strike" call in baseball?

[ol' aches and pains]

Wasn't Harry the umpire with the loudest "strike" call in baseball?

"Dutch" Rennert was the loudest I ever heard. You could hear him loud and clear in the center field bleachers.

[B Jansen 23]

Yeah, Dutch had the best set of lungs in the business.

[Michael Green]

Dutch worked with Harry for several years--a GREAT crew, also with Lee Weyer and Ed Montague.

Wendelstedt deserved to be in the Hall of Fame right after Doug Harvey went in (and Harvey should have been in long before). First, Wendelstedt was a very well-respected NL umpire for 33 seasons--for a while, only Harvey was considered better. But for nearly half a century, he has been involved in and then owned the school where a lot of umpires train, so he has had a great influence on the entire profession.

[drdg]

nice to know that his son Harry JR , who goes by his middle name hunter
wear #21 (his father's old number) to honor him

[ol' aches and pains]

Dutch worked with Harry for several years--a GREAT crew, also with Lee Weyer and Ed Montague.

Wendelstedt deserved to be in the Hall of Fame right after Doug Harvey went in (and Harvey should have been in long before). First, Wendelstedt was a very well-respected NL umpire for 33 seasons--for a while, only Harvey was considered better. But for nearly half a century, he has been involved in and then owned the school where a lot of umpires train, so he has had a great influence on the entire profession.

I had forgotten about his umpiring school. That combined with his long and meritorious service should have warranted a ticket to Cooperstown.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

I believe he was the ump who infamously allowed Drysdale's scoreless inning streak to go on by disallowing Dick Dietz HBP

[theAmazingMet]

I read about this sad news yesterday, and was instantly transported back to my youth. Harry was a great umpire, as most longtime NL fans can attest to. RIP Harry Wendelstedt.

[Michael Green]

I believe he was the ump who infamously allowed Drysdale's scoreless inning streak to go on by disallowing Dick Dietz HBP

FAMOUSLY, Roy, famously! He did, and The New York Times had a great story in his obituary (written Bruce Weber, who did that fine book on umpires). Mike Winters, who worked with him, said they were walking on the field at Candlestick and Wendelstedt said they always scream at me here over a call made 25 years ago. Winters said, yeah, right. They get onto the field and from the stands somebody yells, "Wendelstedt, you blew the call on Dietz!"

Ironically, when Orel Hershiser broke the record, his streak survived when Paul Runge called a double play to negate a run scoring, I believe in San Diego.