Latest news with #umpiring
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Pawol becomes first woman to umpire in MLB
The 48-year-old, who has worked in more than 1,200 minor league games before getting her promotion this week, achieved the historic milestone at Truist Park in Atlanta in the first game of a double-header. "I'm aware of the gravity. I'm aware of the magnitude," Pawol said. Pawol was set to work at third base later in the second game of the twin bill on Saturday before calling balls and strikes behind home plate in Sunday's contest. "Once I started umpiring, I was like, 'This is for me,'" Pawol recalled before the game. "I can't explain it. It's just in my DNA. "This is a viable career, to become a professional umpire, for men and women, girls and boys. I'm able to make a living doing it and I'm passionate about it. I just work harder every day and get better before tomorrow."
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies' Bryce Harper calls out home plate umpire after 'obvious' Giants favoritism
No one likes ump shows, but they're still an unfortunate reality of Major League Baseball in 2025. Home plate umpiring in particular has the possibility to impact games, and that was on full display on Monday night. Umpire Phil Cuzzi's strike zone in the late innings heavily favored the San Francisco Giants in their 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Advertisement In the top of the eighth inning, Cuzzi called two pitches strikes to Bryce Harper that missed the Hawk-Eye-automated strike zone. Then, in the bottom of the inning, Cuzzi somehow called three straight pitches that should have been strike three balls to Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, enabling the single that put the eventual winning run in scoring position. The Phillies were incredulous, both in the moment and after the game, when they'd all had a chance to look at the calls Cuzzi botched. "I feel like anytime I complain it's pretty obvious," Harper said, per Bob Cooney of NBC Sports Philadelphia. "He knows he missed them. Sometimes that happens. Umpire took over the game. "I couldn't say much more, I didn't want to. I barely said anything to him when I walked off the first time on the strike three that was up. I respect Phil, I like Phil a lot. But obviously that doesn't help us in that situation. He's got to do better." Advertisement Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp It's only one loss, and the Phillies would be naive to think the bad calls were the only thing that caused it. They were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, and even one hit could have swung the outcome. But it's hard to stomach an obvious miss from an ump in a balls and strikes capacity when we know the technology is coming that can eliminate those mistakes. The automated ball-strike system will be a positive change for the league in 2026, if Monday night's display was any indication. More MLB: Dodgers predicted to bring $5M World Series champ back to LA at trade deadline
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carlos Mendoza Calls Out Umpire After Mets' Loss to Yankees
Carlos Mendoza Calls Out Umpire After Mets' Loss to Yankees originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Yankees picked up a sorely-needed victory over the New York Mets on Sunday, largely thanks to their execution on both sides of the ball. However, they had a helping hand from home plate umpire John Bacon at the end. Advertisement Pinch-hitter Luis Torrens led off the bottom of the ninth for the Mets down 6-4. The 29-year-old swung and missed at a Devin Williams changeup before Bacon incorrectly called two more changeups for strikes, ending the at-bat in three pitches. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza ran out of the dugout to argue, and Bacon tossed him. Williams then retired the next two hitters, securing his 12th save of the season. Mendoza sounded off about the umpiring postgame, via SNY. New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64)© Jim Rassol-Imagn Images "[The frustration with the umpiring] had been building up the whole game," he said. "Can go back to the strike two on [Juan] Soto, I think it was the second at-bat, not even close to the strike zone." Advertisement "And then especially in that situation, leading off an inning, you're down two," he continued. "You wanna get guys on base and keep the line moving, so hopefully Soto and Pete [Alonso] get a chance here. Then you get two calls that don't go your way, and it's pretty frustrating." The Yankees out-hit the Mets 12-10 and out-homered them 2-0 in the contest. Catcher Austin Wells hit a solo shot in the third inning before star slugger Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the fifth. Next up for the Mets is a road trip against the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals. Related: Carlos Mendoza Reacts to Juan Soto's Unexpected Decision in Yankees Game Related: Francisco Lindor Makes Mets History in Yankees Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Matthew Pinsent interview: Time was right for Steve Redgrave to go
The temperature is so hot that gentlemen have been allowed to remove their jackets in the stewards' enclosure. Yet Sir Matthew Pinsent is resolutely wearing his navy blazer despite the sweat-inducing heat haze which hangs over Henley-on-Thames. And so he should, as Pinsent is only a few minutes into his new role as chief umpire of Henley Royal Regatta, a position which requires him to be impeccably turned out, and have impeccable timekeeping. I was told he would arrive for our interview at 9:38am precisely – and during the chat he whips out a small electronic timer, to make sure we do not overrun. Time (and the umpire's launch) waits for no man, not even a quadruple Olympic gold medallist. Pinsent's former rowing partner, Sir Steve Redgrave, recently relinquished the reins as chairman of HRR after a decade in charge, with fellow 1992 Olympian Richard Phelps now at the helm. Pinsent, meanwhile, has thrown himself into umpiring – not only at Henley, but at the Boat Race, National Schools and other regattas. But with Pinsent part of the HRR committee who decided it was time for Redgrave to step aside as chairman and Phelps to step up, has there been any awkwardness? 'No, look, it comes to us all, there'll be time when everyone has to step back,' says Pinsent, robustly. 'As a steward what you learn pretty quickly is the regatta outlives you in a literal sense, but also in a professional sense. You've got to give it your best shot when you're in a position to do so, and then when the time has come for you to hand it over, you hand it over. Bluntly, the regatta has changed more in the last 12 years, 15 years, particularly under Steve's chairmanship, than it did in the previous 40.' Pinsent confirms parity between male and female racing at HRR is Phelps's aim. While the junior and premier events are equal, there is work to be done on the club and intermediate levels, despite the introduction of a new women's eight event, the Bridge Challenge Plate. He will not be drawn when I ask about recent rowing controversies involving the coaching at Oxford Brookes, the eligibility row between his alma mater, Oxford, and Cambridge in the Boat Race, and the recent sexual-assault scandal at his former club Leander, which first admitted women in 1998. One of the men involved in the recent Telegraph investigation has since been suspended by British Rowing. But what he will say is that 'the efforts to make rowing more open are only to be welcomed'. That goes for the regatta, too. He adds: 'Henley has always been about the best in the sport competing one on one out on the water. That's never going to change. But that does not mean it's not accessible or achievable for people at a relatively modest level, particularly at junior level. You can train and you can learn to row. There are people here who have learned to row within the last two years who are racing. That is meritocratic, and we're going to try our best to keep it as open and meritocratic as we possibly can. The event and the sport needs breadth across all the levels.' Returning to his own umpiring role, it is clear Pinsent is passionate about supporting the sport that has given him so much, personally and professionally. 'I find it a really lovely way of giving back to the sport,' he says. 'It started almost as soon as I was a steward [at HRR]. I became a qualified umpire for the Thames region, then multi-lane, and World Rowing, and here. There's a group of nine or 10 including the chairman, and we divvy up the races and make sure umpiring is consistent and the rules are applied equally. Henley writes its own rules, which is wonderful, but also can get complicated at times.' The umpire has the power to disqualify a crew: it's a heartbreaking decision to have to make, when rowers have trained for so long and so hard to get to Henley. 'It's sad for the crew but as long as you're sure in your own mind, and as long as you're confident,' Pinsent says. 'The infringement has to be so blatant, it's rarely a grey area.' It is a busy few days for Pinsent – but there is one crew he definitely will not be umpiring this year. That is Marlow Rowing Club A, a junior girls' quad scull, competing in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup on Thursday. Why? Because his daughter Eve is in the crew. Will he watch? 'Because I've got umpiring to do, it's quite difficult to step out. I certainly won't be umpiring her race. That's a no-no. But I'm not imagining I'm going to be able to watch her race from start to finish. I might see it as I go down for another race. She does her thing, I do mine. And we'll meet at the end of the day, and it'll be good news or not.' As someone who knows how to win, he will surely give his daughter a bit of advice before the start? Far from it. '[I say] nothing,' he says. 'I stay out of it. She has a coach for that.' He is not one to interfere with training, either. 'I tried quite hard to stay out of it because it's not that useful. Either you roll your sleeves up and get involved in coaching in a formal way, and then that's a whole other challenge if you're coaching your children. Or you are a rowing parent and you stay out of it for other reasons,' he says. While all three of Pinsent's children, including twins Jonah and Lucas, followed him into the sport, he's happy for them to find their own way, too. 'One of my sons has decided that's it. Never wants to row again. That's completely fine. Everyone reaches that point, and he's off doing his thing, which is great. We've got two left who are still rowing, [with Eve] competing this week. It's giving them a lot. I love the impact it's had on them. It's really beneficial.' Still, every rowing parent wants to see their child walk away with a Henley medal (Pinsent has 14 to his name, in coxless pairs and fours). I ask how he rates Eve's chances against the dominant junior girls' crew, Wycliffe. His answer makes me wonder whether he might be a little more locked in than he confesses. 'They did well at Henley Women's – they were second. They did well at National Schools, they were third. The trajectory is good, but Henley is a funny thing. It's not a six-lane race, it's not a straightforward speed test. It's match racing in all the best and worst ways. We're going to find out [if they can beat Wycliffe]. I don't know whether anyone can. That's what we're here to find out.' As for Pinsent himself, he's at ease with his decision to hang up his oars, having retired in November 2004. 'Been there, done that. Don't worry about it.' Does he do any rowing now? 'No! Only indoors at home, where no one can see me.' With his daughter involved in the sport, it's natural Pinsent's keen to encourage other women to give it a go. Change at the once men-only regatta has been constant if not especially speedy since women first raced here in 1981: the number of female entries this year is double that of 2019. But HRR and rowing cannot rest on their laurels. It may be one of our most successful Olympic sports, but at the grass roots, rowing can only exist thanks to unpaid umpires and tireless club members. Without their dedication, those Olympic gold medals will not happen. 'We need to look after volunteers,' Pinsent says. 'We need to make sure we're still encouraging people into the sport and we have a ready supply of people who are going to run events. Because otherwise they won't run. We know that because some fall by the wayside.' With all that enthusiasm, I wonder if he has any appetite to be chairman himself at some point, or if he is happy where he is now. 'I've only been chief umpire for one hour, so we'll see how the rest of the day goes,' he jokes. So no desire to step in Phelps's shoes? 'Not today,' he says, as he heads off to his next race, timer in hand.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Kettleborough set to break England umpiring record
Richard Kettleborough has targeted umpiring in a century of Test matches as he prepares to become England's most capped on-field umpire in the 52-year-old will stand in his 93rd Test match when West Indies face Australia in the second Test in Grenada, which starts on said it will be a "huge honour" to claim the record outright as he prepares to move above his umpiring mentor David Shepherd and outright sixth on the all-time list., external"I honestly never imagined it would happen, but I'm very proud of my achievements," Kettleborough told the England and Wales Cricket Board website., external"To overtake the late, great David Shepherd – who was one of my idols growing up – is something I'm very proud of."Shep always told me 'If you can look yourself in the mirror at the end of a day's play and say you gave honest decisions based on what you saw, then you should sleep well'. And I can honestly say I've done that every single day of my career."Sheffield-born Kettleborough, whose Test umpiring career began in Galle 15 years ago, now hopes to become the first Englishman to stand in a century of Test matches."I've always seen Test cricket as the pinnacle of the game," he added."So getting to 100 on-field Test matches would be the ultimate achievement."Pakistan's Aleem Dar holds the record for standing in the most Tests with 145.
