Wes Curry
Encyclopedia
Wesley Curry was an American
pitcher
and umpire
in Major League Baseball
who played one season for the Richmond Virginians
of the American Association
before officiating for six seasons between and .
, Curry joined the Virginians during the season, and pitched in just two games, both of which were complete game
losses. The first game was a 4-5 loss to the Philadelphia Athletics
on August 6, and the other game was a 2-9 loss to the Brooklyn Grays
on August 8. He never pitched in the major leagues again, and his spot in the pitching rotation was occupied by Pete Meegan
for the remainder of the season.
. He umpired 39 games that first season, and 51 games the following season, also with the National League. For the season, he umpired in the American Association, also a major league at the time, and umpired 61 games, all of which, as were his first two seasons, were as the sole umpire on the field, as was the practice.
That season in the Association saw Curry make a controversial call, yet it led to the institution of an official rule which still lasts to this day. The play in question happened in a game that pitted the Louisville Colonels
against the Brooklyn Grays
, when during the game, Louisville's Reddy Mack
crossed home plate
after a fellow teammate had hit
safely. After Mack had crossed the plate, he deliberately interfered with Brooklyn's catcher
long enough so that two other Colonels had also crossed the plate. Since Mack had prevented the catcher from making any further plays, Curry ruled that the first baserunner
after Mack to scored was out
, and the disallowed the other run that followed. The rules stated, at the time, that a baserunner could not interfere with a fielder, but Mack argued that since he had scored, he was no longer a baserunner, therefore he was not in violation of any rules. Curry's decision, although not in the rules, demonstrated that the evolution of the games rules sometimes have to be made at the moment to protect the game's integrity. The rule that came from this decision is now Rule 7.09(e).
The next season Curry umpired at the major league level was in in the National League, calling a career-high 110 games, 16 as the field umpire when both major leagues began to experiment with a two-umpire system, one behind the catcher, and one behind the pitcher. In , Curry returned the Association and umpired 56 games. After this season, he did not return to majors again until when he umpired 62 games in the National League, 52 of them in the field. His six-year career totals include 382 games, with 72 in the field, and he was behind the plate for a no-hitter
on August 29, 1885, when Charlie Ferguson
of the Philadelphia Quakers
threw his gem against the Providence Grays
.
, and is interred at Arlington Cemetery
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and 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...
in Major League Baseball
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 played one season for the Richmond Virginians
Richmond Virginians (1884)
The Richmond Virginians was a major league baseball team that played in the American Association in 1884. They had a record of 12 wins and 30 losses after replacing the Washington Statesmen, who had dropped out of the league. The Virginians were managed by Felix Moses and played their home games in...
of the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
before officiating for six seasons between and .
Playing career
Born in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, Curry joined the Virginians during the season, and pitched in just two games, both of which were complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
losses. The first game was a 4-5 loss to the Philadelphia Athletics
Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional baseball team, one of six charter members of the American Association, a 19th-century major league, which began play in 1882 as a rival to the National League. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Eclipse of...
on August 6, and the other game was a 2-9 loss to the Brooklyn Grays
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
on August 8. He never pitched in the major leagues again, and his spot in the pitching rotation was occupied by Pete Meegan
Pete Meegan
Peter James Meegan , also known as "Steady" Pete, was an American Major League Baseball player who pitched for two seasons; one with the 1884 Richmond Virginians, and the other for the 1885 Pittsburg Alleghenys, both of the American Association.-Career:Born in San Francisco, California, he made his...
for the remainder of the season.
Umpire career
Curry began his major league umpiring career in , a year after his paying career had ended, when he signed with the National LeagueNational 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...
. He umpired 39 games that first season, and 51 games the following season, also with the National League. For the season, he umpired in the American Association, also a major league at the time, and umpired 61 games, all of which, as were his first two seasons, were as the sole umpire on the field, as was the practice.
That season in the Association saw Curry make a controversial call, yet it led to the institution of an official rule which still lasts to this day. The play in question happened in a game that pitted the Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...
against the Brooklyn Grays
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, when during the game, Louisville's Reddy Mack
Reddy Mack
Joseph "Reddy" Mack played professional baseball from 1885 to 1890, mainly as a second baseman. Mack played the first four years of his career with the Louisville Colonels. Three of the years Mack hit under a .250 batting average, while in 1887 Mack hit an impressive .308, the best of his career...
crossed home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
after a fellow teammate had hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
safely. After Mack had crossed the plate, he deliberately interfered with Brooklyn's catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
long enough so that two other Colonels had also crossed the plate. Since Mack had prevented the catcher from making any further plays, Curry ruled that the first baserunner
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
after Mack to scored was out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
, and the disallowed the other run that followed. The rules stated, at the time, that a baserunner could not interfere with a fielder, but Mack argued that since he had scored, he was no longer a baserunner, therefore he was not in violation of any rules. Curry's decision, although not in the rules, demonstrated that the evolution of the games rules sometimes have to be made at the moment to protect the game's integrity. The rule that came from this decision is now Rule 7.09(e).
The next season Curry umpired at the major league level was in in the National League, calling a career-high 110 games, 16 as the field umpire when both major leagues began to experiment with a two-umpire system, one behind the catcher, and one behind the pitcher. In , Curry returned the Association and umpired 56 games. After this season, he did not return to majors again until when he umpired 62 games in the National League, 52 of them in the field. His six-year career totals include 382 games, with 72 in the field, and he was behind the plate for a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
on August 29, 1885, when Charlie Ferguson
Charles J. Ferguson
Charles J. "Charlie" Ferguson was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire four-year career for the Philadelphia Quakers...
of the Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
threw his gem against the Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
.
Post-career
Wes died at the age of 73 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and is interred at Arlington Cemetery
Arlington Cemetery Co
Arlington Cemetery Co was founded in 1895. It is located on State Road in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania and occupies roughly .Arlington Cemetery consists of the Mount Vernon Office, Toppitzer Funeral Home, Williamsburg Chapel, The Museum of Mourning Art, The Garden Mausoleum, The Monticello Mausoleum,...
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located southwest of Center City, Philadelphia and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
.
External links
- Retrosheet - career umpiring record