Joe West

In his first season as a full-time MLB umpire, West umpired the game in which Willie McCovey hit his 500th career home run.

In the same year, he was at first base when Pete Rose tied the NL record for most consecutive games with a hit, and he was the home plate umpire when Rose broke it the following day.

Joseph Henry West (born October 31, 1952), nicknamed "Cowboy Joe" or "Country Joe", is an American former baseball umpire.

West was born in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1952.

He grew up in Greenville, North Carolina, where he played youth baseball and football.

He graduated from JH Rose High School in Greenville.

West played safety on the first-year football team at East Carolina University (ECU) in 1970 and he was a quarterback for Elon College (now Elon University) from 1971 to 1973.

He intended to play his college football career at ECU, but head coach Mike McGee resigned after his first year, prompting West's transfer.

While in college, West hoped to play both baseball and football.

However, spring practice for football interfered with West's ability to be on the baseball team.

He concentrated on football and umpired high school baseball games on the side.

In his three seasons at Elon, West was the starting quarterback and the team won three conference championships.

He was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) on the 1973 team that lost the NAIA Division I title game to Abilene Christian; the Abilene Christian team was led by future professional football players Clint Longley and Wilbert Montgomery.

He worked in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 to 2021, umpiring an MLB-record 43 seasons and 5,460 games.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina, he grew up in Greenville and played football at East Carolina University (ECU) and Elon College.

West entered the National League (NL) as an umpire in 1976; he joined the NL staff full-time in 1978.

West made his first National League (NL) appearance in 1976 and joined the full-time NL staff in 1978.

In 1981, West worked first base for Nolan Ryan's fifth career no-hitter.

On October 13, 1981, West was 28 when he became the youngest NL umpire to call an LCS.

As a young umpire, he worked Nolan Ryan's fifth career no-hitter, was on the field for Willie McCovey's 500th home run, and was involved in a 1983 pushing incident with manager Joe Torre.

In 1983, West was suspended for three days and fined US$500 for shoving Atlanta Braves manager Joe Torre.

The manager was angry at the end of a game and had followed West into the walkway outside the umpires' dressing room to argue with him.

On appeal, NL President Chub Feeney reduced West's fine to $300.

Torre also received a fine stemming from the incident.

This was believed to be the first incident of an umpire being suspended during a baseball season in decades.

West left Elon holding three passing records that were not broken for 20 years and was inducted into the Elon Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

While umpiring locally as a college student, West met Carolina League umpire supervisor Malcolm Sykes, who recommended that West attend an umpire training school.

West went to umpire school and graduated at the top of his class.

He worked in several minor-league circuits (the Western Carolinas League, Puerto Rican League, Florida Instructional League, Southern League and American Association) before he was promoted to the major leagues.

West made his second NLCS appearance in 1986.

He umpired his first All-Star Game in 1987.

On September 28, 1988, West was on the field when Orel Hershiser set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

West resigned during the 1999 Major League Umpires Association mass resignation but was rehired in 2002.

He served as crew chief for the 2005 World Series and officiated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

On May 25, 2021, West broke Bill Klem's all-time record by umpiring his 5,376th game.

West worked several no-hitters, including a 2012 perfect game by Félix Hernández.

He officiated six World Series, three All-Star Games, ten League Championship Series (LCS), eight League Division Series (LDS) and four Wild Card Games.

West was president of the Major League Baseball Umpires Association through 2018.

As the organization's president, he helped negotiate the largest umpiring contract in baseball history.

He works with a sporting goods company to design and patent umpiring equipment endorsed by MLB.