Ziggy Sears
Ziggy Sears | |
---|---|
Born | John William Sears January 10, 1892 Houston, Texas |
Occupation | Umpire |
Years active | 1934-1945 |
Employer | National League |
John William "Ziggy" Sears (January 10, 1892 – December 16, 1956) was a professional
Playing career
Sears entered organized baseball in
Officiating career
After Sears retired as a player in the Texas League, he became an umpire in that circuit. He was initially assigned to partner with Harry Kane, who had ejected Sears as a player more often than all other Texas League umpires combined.[4] Sears was promoted to the National League in the summer of 1934. When he was selected to work the 1935 MLB All-Star Game, Sears became the first umpire with less than a year of MLB experience to receive that honor. Sears umpired in the World Series in 1938 and 1944. He would have also worked the 1943 World Series, but he missed it due to illness. Sears broke his foot while umpiring on the last day of the 1945 regular season, and he retired from major league umpiring.[5]
In addition to his service as a baseball umpire, Sears officiated college football and basketball for the Southwest Conference.[4]
Later life
After leaving the National League in 1945, Sears spent time umpiring in the Pacific Coast League.[3] In a 1951 Texas League exhibition game between Milwaukee and Dallas, Sears was struck in the eye by a thrown ball. The injury forced him to quit umpiring. In 1953, Sears sued the Dallas club for negligence. He asserted that the club allowed the game to continue in rainy conditions and that the team did not provide medical care once he was injured.[6]
Sears lived in
Personal life
Ziggy's son, Ken Sears, played baseball and football for a year at the University of Alabama before signing a baseball contract with the New York Yankees organization.[7] Ken, sometimes referred to as "Little Ziggy", appeared in the 1943 World Series. His father was scheduled to umpire that series, but had to withdraw due to illness.[8]
Movie credits
Sears had acting roles in two movies, The Stratton Story (1948) and The Babe Ruth Story (1949). He portrayed umpires in both films.[9]
See also
References
- ^ "Ziggy Sears". www.retrosheet.org. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
- ^ "Ziggy Sears Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
- ^ a b c "Ziggy Sears, Ex-Umpire, Dies". The Pittsburgh Press. December 17, 1956. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- ^ a b c Parker, Bill (August 7, 1934). "'Ziggy' Sears, Texas League Hero As Player, In Big Time As Umpire". Sarasota Herald Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- ^ a b "Ziggy Sears Quits National League". The Pittsburgh Press. October 17, 1945. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- ^ "Ziggy Sears Sues Dallas Ball Club". The Bonham Daily Favorite. April 3, 1953. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- ^ "Those Yankees Again". The Tuscaloosa News. July 13, 1938. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- ^ Meier, Ted (October 5, 1943). "Nick Etten and Litwhiler Termed 'Cinderella Cuties' of the Series". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- TCM.com. Retrieved December 20, 2012.