MLB honors 1st African-American umpire with patch, video
Major League Baseball's umpires are commemorating an important moment in their profession's history on Monday.
The league announced that all umpires will wear a special patch during Monday's games to honor Emmett Ashford, MLB's first African-American umpire, on the 50th anniversary of his debut.
Today all Umpires will honor Emmett Ashford, first African-American ump in #MLB, for 50th anniversary of his debut. pic.twitter.com/HguxlB23w4
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) April 11, 2016
Stadiums across baseball will also air a video tribute to Ashford - who was known as much for his colorful dance-like calls as for his place in the game's history books - during Monday's games.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
After leaving the postal service to begin his umpiring career in 1951, Ashford called games across the minor leagues for over a decade before the American League hired him in 1965. He quietly made history on April 11, 1966, when he served as the third base umpire for the AL's season-opening contest between the Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians at D.C. Stadium.
Ashford retired from umpiring following his work in the 1970 World Series, and died in 1980.