Rich Garcia
Encyclopedia
Richard Raul Garcia is a former umpire
in Major League Baseball (MLB)
who worked in the American League (AL)
from 1975
to 1999
. Garcia wore uniform number 19 when the AL adopted numbers for its' umpires in 1980.
in 1960, Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps
as a combat engineer
until 1964. Stationed in Okinawa
and North Carolina
during his tour of duty, he also played on the Marine Corps baseball
team for three years.
He completed his training from MLB's Umpire Specialization Course in 1970. He progressed up the minor leagues
, starting with the Florida State League
in 1970 and 1971, followed by the Southern League
in 1972 and the International League
in 1973 and 1974. During those five years he worked during the offseason in the Florida Instructional League (1970–1971, 1973–1974) and the Dominican Winter Baseball League (1972–1973).
Garcia was hired by the American League in 1975
, working at third base in his major league debut in the Minnesota Twins
' season-opening 11–4 victory over the Texas Rangers
at Arlington Stadium
on April 8. His first assignment behind the plate was the Rangers' 7–5 loss to the defending World Series Champion
Oakland Athletics
in the same ballpark three nights later on April 11.
Garcia worked two All-Star Games
(1980, 1992), three American League Division Series
(1995
, 1997
, 1998
), five American League Championship Series
(1978
, 1982
, 1986
, 1990
, 1996
) and four World Series
(1981
, 1984
, 1989
, 1998
). He was crew chief for the 1989 and 1998 World Series, as well as the 1990 ALCS.
Garcia is one of seven major leagues umpires who have officiated in two perfect game
s. He was behind the plate when Len Barker
did it in the Cleveland Indians
' 3–0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
on May 15, 1981
. Garcia was umpiring at third base for the one David Wells
pitched in the New York Yankees
' 4–0 win over the Minnesota Twins
on May 17, 1998
.
between the Baltimore Orioles
and the Yankees; he was umpiring in right field. In the 8th inning, the Yankees tied the game 4-4 when Derek Jeter
hit a fly ball to right field that 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier
pulled into the stands after reaching over the right field wall. Garcia ruled it a home run, but after seeing a replay admitted that he had made a mistake after the game; the Yankees won the game in 11 innings and would go on to win the series.
Another call by Garcia that was questioned by some media members came in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series
. Padres pitcher Mark Langston
appeared to have struck out Tino Martinez
on a 2–2 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the 7th inning with the game tied at 5-5. Garcia, however, called the pitch a ball, and Martinez hit Langston's next pitch for a grand slam.
Garcia took part in the 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation
which was engineered by Richie Phillips
, the union
's executive director
. When the strategy backfired, Garcia lost his job because his resignation
was one of the 22 accepted by Major League Baseball. After working as a consultant
for the baseball commissioner's office, he was hired as a MLB umpire supervisor
in 2002
. On March 8 of that year, the Daily News (New York City
) disclosed that in 1989
he and National League
umpire Frank Pulli
had associated with Florida
-based bookmaker
s who were known drug dealer
s. Three days later on March 11, the Boston Herald
reported that, according to information collected from federal wiretap
s, both umpires had problems paying off their gambling
debt
s. The punishment
MLB had applied to Garcia and Pulli at the time was only two years' probation
. Garcia, along with fellow supervisors Marty Springstead
and Jim McKean
, were ousted on March 6, 2010 as a result of a 2009 postseason
which was plagued by various high-profile questionable calls that drew a firestorm of criticism from fan
s and the media
.
He was promoted to AL crew chief in 1985. He has instructed at various umpire schools for several years and also conducted umpiring clinics during the offseason when he was an active major league umpire.
Garcia played the first base umpire in the 1999 movie For Love of the Game
, starring Kevin Costner
and Kelly Preston
.
Garcia currently resides in Clearwater
. He and his wife Sheryl have four children and ten grandchildren.
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...
in Major League Baseball (MLB)
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who worked in the American League (AL)
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
from 1975
1975 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Boston Red Sox ; Pete Rose, MVP*All-Star Game, July 15 at County Stadium: National League, 6-3; Bill Madlock and Jon Matlack, MVPs-Other champions:...
to 1999
1999 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; Mariano Rivera, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Orlando Hernández**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Eddie Pérez...
. Garcia wore uniform number 19 when the AL adopted numbers for its' umpires in 1980.
Umpiring career
After graduating from his hometown's Key West High SchoolKey West High School
Key West High School is a Monroe County public school in Key West, Florida, USA. Key West High School is the largest high school in Monroe County. The school was originally at the site of the current Glynn Archer Elementary School, which opened in 1906 and was used as a high school for white students...
in 1960, Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
as a combat engineer
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
until 1964. Stationed in Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
during his tour of duty, he also played on the Marine Corps baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team for three years.
He completed his training from MLB's Umpire Specialization Course in 1970. He progressed up the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, starting with the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
in 1970 and 1971, followed by the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
in 1972 and the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in 1973 and 1974. During those five years he worked during the offseason in the Florida Instructional League (1970–1971, 1973–1974) and the Dominican Winter Baseball League (1972–1973).
Garcia was hired by the American League in 1975
1975 Major League Baseball season
The 1975 Major League Baseball season was held between the American and National Leagues.-News and notes:*Frank Robinson beacme the first black manager in the Major Leagues. He managed the Cleveland Indians....
, working at third base in his major league debut in the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
' season-opening 11–4 victory over the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
at Arlington Stadium
Arlington Stadium
Arlington Stadium was a baseball stadium located in Arlington, Texas, United States, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. It served as the home for the Texas Rangers from 1972 until 1993, when the team moved into The Ballpark in Arlington .-1960s:The stadium was built in 1965 as Turnpike...
on April 8. His first assignment behind the plate was the Rangers' 7–5 loss to the defending World Series Champion
1974 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 12, 1974 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaReggie Jackson put the A's on the board first with a solo homer in the top of the second off 20-game winner Andy Messersmith...
Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in the same ballpark three nights later on April 11.
Garcia worked two 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...
(1980, 1992), three American League Division Series
American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series...
(1995
1995 American League Division Series
-Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, Tuesday, October 3:Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioAfter a 39-minute rain delay, Game 1 got underway with two veterans, Roger Clemens and Dennis Martínez, starting the opener. The Red Sox jumped in front first in the third on John Valentin's two run...
, 1997
1997 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 1:Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonThe Orioles had gone wire-to-wire and the Mariners had won the AL West for the second time in the decade. In Game 1, both teams had their best on the mound: Mike Mussina for the Orioles and Randy Johnson for...
, 1998
1998 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox:-Game 1, September 29:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkScott Brosius was the hero of Game 1, as Todd Stottlemyre faced David Wells. In the bottom of the second, Stottlemyre yielded two runs when Brosius singled in Jorge Posada after Chad Curtis doubled and...
), five American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
(1978
1978 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1978 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriPrior to the start of this game, both teams had to deal with bad news. Ron Guidry, he of the incredible 25–3 Cy Young Award-winning season, would be unavailable to start until Game 4, if played, at least...
, 1982
1982 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1982 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, CaliforniaThe Angels jumped to a 1–0 lead in the first when Brian Downing scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Don Baylor. Milwaukee came back to take a 3–1 lead with a two-run homer by Gorman Thomas in the second and a run...
, 1986
1986 American League Championship Series
The 1986 American League Championship Series was a back-and-forth battle between the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels for the right to advance to the 1986 World Series to face the winner of the 1986 National League Championship Series...
, 1990
1990 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 6, 1990 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe opening game of the series saw a battle of aces, as Oakland sent Dave Stewart to the hill against Boston's Roger Clemens. The game was a scoreless pitchers duel until the bottom of the fourth, when Red Sox third baseman...
, 1996
1996 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe first game of the series is most notable for the infamous "Jeffrey Maier Incident." With the Yankees trailing 4–3 in the bottom of the eighth, rookie Derek Jeter hit a fly ball to deep right field off Orioles reliever...
) and four 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...
(1981
1981 World Series
The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...
, 1984
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
, 1989
1989 World Series
†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
, 1998
1998 World Series
The 1998 World Series, the 94th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, matched the New York Yankees against the San Diego Padres . The Yankees swept the Series in four games to capture their second championship in three years, and their 24th overall...
). He was crew chief for the 1989 and 1998 World Series, as well as the 1990 ALCS.
Garcia is one of seven major leagues umpires who have officiated in two perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
s. He was behind the plate when Len Barker
Len Barker
Leonard Harold Barker III , better known as Lenny Barker or Len Barker, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He pitched the tenth perfect game in baseball history. Barker pitched for the Texas Rangers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers...
did it in the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
' 3–0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on May 15, 1981
1981 Major League Baseball season
-First half:-Second half:-Overall record:-Statistical leaders:-Postseason:NOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...
. Garcia was umpiring at third base for the one David Wells
David Wells
David Lee Wells , nicknamed "Boomer", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history...
pitched in the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' 4–0 win over the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
on May 17, 1998
1998 Major League Baseball season
*American League Championship Series MVP: David Wells**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Sterling Hitchcock**National League Division Series*All-Star Game, July 7 at Coors Field: American League, 13-8; Roberto Alomar, MVP...
.
Controversies
In 1996, Garcia made a controversial call during Game 1 of the American League Championship Series1996 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe first game of the series is most notable for the infamous "Jeffrey Maier Incident." With the Yankees trailing 4–3 in the bottom of the eighth, rookie Derek Jeter hit a fly ball to deep right field off Orioles reliever...
between the Baltimore Orioles
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...
and the Yankees; he was umpiring in right field. In the 8th inning, the Yankees tied the game 4-4 when Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
hit a fly ball to right field that 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier
Jeffrey Maier
Jeffrey Maier is an American baseball fan best known for an incident in which he was involved as a twelve-year-old at a baseball game, when he deflected a batted ball in-play into the stands during Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the...
pulled into the stands after reaching over the right field wall. Garcia ruled it a home run, but after seeing a replay admitted that he had made a mistake after the game; the Yankees won the game in 11 innings and would go on to win the series.
Another call by Garcia that was questioned by some media members came in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series
1998 World Series
The 1998 World Series, the 94th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, matched the New York Yankees against the San Diego Padres . The Yankees swept the Series in four games to capture their second championship in three years, and their 24th overall...
. Padres pitcher Mark Langston
Mark Langston
Mark Edward Langston is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Seattle Mariners , Montreal Expos , California and Anaheim Angels , San Diego Padres , and Cleveland Indians...
appeared to have struck out Tino Martinez
Tino Martinez
Constantino "Tino" Martinez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman.Martinez was the first round draft pick for the Seattle Mariners in out of the University of Tampa where he starred during his time on campus. He began his Major League career in and has played for the Mariners, New...
on a 2–2 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the 7th inning with the game tied at 5-5. Garcia, however, called the pitch a ball, and Martinez hit Langston's next pitch for a grand slam.
Garcia took part in the 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation
1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation
The 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation was a labor tactic used by the Major League Umpires Association against Major League Baseball in 1999. Unable to strike because they had a labor agreement in place at the time, more than 50 umpires resigned in an attempt to force...
which was engineered by Richie Phillips
Richie Phillips
Richard G. Phillips is the former general counsel and executive director of the 52-member Major League Umpires Association , having held those positions from 1978 to 2000. He is most notable for recommending that the union baseball umpires resign en masse effective September 2, 1999 to leverage...
, the union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
's executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
. When the strategy backfired, Garcia lost his job because his resignation
Resignation
A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...
was one of the 22 accepted by Major League Baseball. After working as a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
for the baseball commissioner's office, he was hired as a MLB umpire supervisor
Supervisor
A supervisor, foreperson, team leader, overseer, cell coach, facilitator, or area coordinator is a manager in a position of trust in business...
in 2002
2002 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:...
. On March 8 of that year, the Daily News (New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) disclosed that in 1989
1989 Major League Baseball season
-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers **Kevin Mitchell, San Francisco Giants *Cy Young Award**Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals **Mark Davis, San Diego Padres *Rookie of the Year...
he and 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...
umpire Frank Pulli
Frank Pulli
Frank Victor Pulli is a retired baseball umpire, working in the National League from 1972 until 1999...
had associated with Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
-based bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
s who were known drug dealer
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
s. Three days later on March 11, the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
reported that, according to information collected from federal wiretap
Telephone tapping
Telephone tapping is the monitoring of telephone and Internet conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was an actual electrical tap on the telephone line...
s, both umpires had problems paying off their gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
s. The punishment
Punishment
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
MLB had applied to Garcia and Pulli at the time was only two years' probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
. Garcia, along with fellow supervisors Marty Springstead
Marty Springstead
Martin John Springstead is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1966 to 1985 and has since worked as an umpire supervisor...
and Jim McKean
Jim McKean
James Gilbert McKean is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1974 to 1999, and in both major leagues in 2000. He umpired in the World Series in 1979, 1985 and 1995...
, were ousted on March 6, 2010 as a result of a 2009 postseason
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
which was plagued by various high-profile questionable calls that drew a firestorm of criticism from fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
s and the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
.
He was promoted to AL crew chief in 1985. He has instructed at various umpire schools for several years and also conducted umpiring clinics during the offseason when he was an active major league umpire.
Garcia played the first base umpire in the 1999 movie For Love of the Game
For Love of the Game (film)
For Love of the Game is a 1999 American drama sports film based on the novel of the same title by Michael Shaara...
, starring Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
and Kelly Preston
Kelly Preston
Kelly Preston is an American actress and former model.- Early years :Preston was born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her mother, Linda, was an administrator of a mental health center, and her father, who worked for an agricultural firm, drowned when Preston was three years old...
.
Garcia currently resides in Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. He and his wife Sheryl have four children and ten grandchildren.