Jocko Conlan
Encyclopedia
John Bertrand "Jocko" Conlan (December 6, 1899 — April 16, 1989) was an American
Hall of Fame
umpire
who worked in the National League
from 1941 to 1965. He previously had a brief career as an outfielder
with the Chicago White Sox
.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Conlan began his major league career in as a center fielder
for the Chicago White Sox
. In , however, Conlan was presented with an unusual opportunity. During a game against the St. Louis Browns
, umpire Red Ormsby
fell ill due to the heat. In those days, only two umpires covered typical regular-season games, and a player with a reputation for honesty might be pressed into service if one umpire became incapacitated. Conlan was asked to fill in, and took to it well. The following year Conlan made the transition from player to umpire complete, beginning in the minor leagues.
Conlan umpired in the National League from 1941 to 1965, officiating in five World Series
(1945
, 1950
, 1954
, 1957
and 1961
) and six All-Star Games
(1943, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1958 and the first 1962 contest). He also umpired in the playoff series to decide the NL's regular-season champions in 1951
, 1959
and 1962
(some sources erroneously credit him with umpiring in the 1946 NL playoff as well). He was the home plate umpire when Gil Hodges
hit four home runs on August 31, ; he also umpired in the April 30, game in which Willie Mays
hit four home runs. He retired after the 1964 season, but returned to work as a substitute umpire for 17 games in 1965.
Conlan was known for several trademarks: Instead of a regular dress tie like most umpires of the day wore, Conlan wore a natty bow tie
for his career. Conlan was also known for making "out" calls with his left hand, instead of his right. Finally, Conlan was the last National League umpire allowed to wear the outside chest protector, instead of the inside protector that all other NL umpires were using by then.
Jocko Conlan and manager Leo Durocher
were both considered colorful characters, and sometimes they would clash. Durocher liked to tell of a time that he was arguing with Conlan. He attempted to kick dirt on Conlan's shoes, but slipped and actually kicked Conlan in the shins. Striking an umpire calls for automatic ejection, but first Conlan "kicked him right back," a sequence that an alert photographer also captured and which was circulated for some time.http://books.google.com/books?id=7FAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=%22jocko+conlan%22+%22leo+durocher%22+kicking&source=bl&ots=Ck6IUzYzoz&sig=2h9vn8UAHJD84HW-GFtnK--Ipis&hl=en&ei=2d1yTK_vDYy2ngftz6iNCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false The punchline to that story, as Durocher told it, was that Conlan, being the plate umpire on that occasion, "was wearing shin guards and plate shoes," so Durocher came off the worse for it.
Conlan's name was mentioned several times in a fictitious baseball game celebrated in the 1962 song "The Los Angeles Dodgers," recorded by Danny Kaye
. The song only referred to Conlan by his last name, with the presumption that the listener would know he was referring to the famous umpire. That song is contained on the CD Baseball's Greatest Hits
.
His son John Bertrand Conlan
served as a U.S. Representative
from Arizona
from 1973 to 1977.
Conlan was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Committee on Baseball Veterans
in ; he was the fourth umpire chosen, and the first NL umpire since Bill Klem
in 1953. He is the only one of the eight umpires elected to the Hall of Fame to have played in the major leagues. He died at age 89 in Scottsdale, Arizona
.
The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
(2004) includes short stories from former Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine
. Conlan is prominent in many of these stories.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
who worked in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
from 1941 to 1965. He previously had a brief career as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Conlan began his major league career in as a center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. In , however, Conlan was presented with an unusual opportunity. During a game against the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, umpire Red Ormsby
Red Ormsby
Emmet Thomas "Red" Ormsby was a professional baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1923 to 1941....
fell ill due to the heat. In those days, only two umpires covered typical regular-season games, and a player with a reputation for honesty might be pressed into service if one umpire became incapacitated. Conlan was asked to fill in, and took to it well. The following year Conlan made the transition from player to umpire complete, beginning in the minor leagues.
Conlan umpired in the National League from 1941 to 1965, officiating in five World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
(1945
1945 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 2:Thursday, October 4, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 3:Friday, October 5, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan...
, 1950
1950 World Series
The 1950 World Series was the 47th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as 1950 champions of the National League and the New York Yankees, as 1950 American League champions, competed to win a best-of-seven...
, 1954
1954 World Series
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the...
, 1957
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
and 1961
1961 World Series
The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...
) and six All-Star Games
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1943, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1958 and the first 1962 contest). He also umpired in the playoff series to decide the NL's regular-season champions in 1951
1951 National League tie-breaker series
The 1951 National League tie-breaker series was a three-game series played at the conclusion of the 1951 Major League Baseball season between the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers...
, 1959
1959 National League tie-breaker series
The 1959 National League tie-breaker series was a best-of-three playoff series to decide the winner of Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The games took place on September 28 and 29, 1959 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Braves. The first game was played in...
and 1962
1962 National League tie-breaker series
The 1962 National League tie-breaker series was a three-game playoff series to determine the winner of Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The games took place from October 1 to 3, 1962, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. The Giants won the series two games...
(some sources erroneously credit him with umpiring in the 1946 NL playoff as well). He was the home plate umpire when Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
hit four home runs on August 31, ; he also umpired in the April 30, game in which Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
hit four home runs. He retired after the 1964 season, but returned to work as a substitute umpire for 17 games in 1965.
Conlan was known for several trademarks: Instead of a regular dress tie like most umpires of the day wore, Conlan wore a natty bow tie
Bow tie
The bow tie is a type of men's necktie. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar in a symmetrical manner such that the two opposite ends form loops. Ready-tied bow ties are available, in which the distinctive bow is sewn into shape and the band around the neck incorporates a clip....
for his career. Conlan was also known for making "out" calls with his left hand, instead of his right. Finally, Conlan was the last National League umpire allowed to wear the outside chest protector, instead of the inside protector that all other NL umpires were using by then.
Jocko Conlan and manager Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
were both considered colorful characters, and sometimes they would clash. Durocher liked to tell of a time that he was arguing with Conlan. He attempted to kick dirt on Conlan's shoes, but slipped and actually kicked Conlan in the shins. Striking an umpire calls for automatic ejection, but first Conlan "kicked him right back," a sequence that an alert photographer also captured and which was circulated for some time.http://books.google.com/books?id=7FAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=%22jocko+conlan%22+%22leo+durocher%22+kicking&source=bl&ots=Ck6IUzYzoz&sig=2h9vn8UAHJD84HW-GFtnK--Ipis&hl=en&ei=2d1yTK_vDYy2ngftz6iNCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false The punchline to that story, as Durocher told it, was that Conlan, being the plate umpire on that occasion, "was wearing shin guards and plate shoes," so Durocher came off the worse for it.
Conlan's name was mentioned several times in a fictitious baseball game celebrated in the 1962 song "The Los Angeles Dodgers," recorded by Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
. The song only referred to Conlan by his last name, with the presumption that the listener would know he was referring to the famous umpire. That song is contained on the CD Baseball's Greatest Hits
Baseball's Greatest Hits
Baseball's Greatest Hits is the name of two different CD collections of songs and other recordings connected with baseball, released in the early 1990s....
.
His son John Bertrand Conlan
John Bertrand Conlan
John Bertrand Conlan is a retired U.S. lawyer and Republican politician. He served as a State Senator from 1965 to 1972 and as a United States Representative from Arizona from 1973 to 1977. In Congress, he was known as a strong and outspoken conservative...
served as a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
from 1973 to 1977.
Conlan was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Committee on Baseball Veterans
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
in ; he was the fourth umpire chosen, and the first NL umpire since Bill Klem
Bill Klem
William Joseph Klem, born William Joseph Klimm , known as the "father of baseball umpires", was a National League umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941...
in 1953. He is the only one of the eight umpires elected to the Hall of Fame to have played in the major leagues. He died at age 89 in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
.
The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings is a book by former Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher Carl Erskine. It is a compilation of short stories about life in the glory days of Major League Baseball. The forward was penned by Hall of Fame announcer Vin...
(2004) includes short stories from former Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine
Carl Erskine
Carl Daniel Erskine is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959...
. Conlan is prominent in many of these stories.
External links
- Retrosheet
- The Sporting News - 1934 photo and profile
- New York Times obituary
- Jocko Conlan at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...