Karate Chop Strikeouts
Nineteen years after Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier as a player, Emmett Ashford became the Major Leagues first African American umpire on April 11, 1966. In front of 44,468 opening day cheering fans at Washington’s D.C. Stadium, history was made as Ashford ran to his post at third base, fifty-five years ago today.
Ashford, a postal worker and semi-pro baseball player in Los Angeles, was asked to be a fill in official from time to time and he loved it so much that he left the postal service and started his career as an umpire in 1951. After more than paying his dues, he was promoted to the majors and quickly became a fan and player favorite as he brought an exciting and refreshing showmanship to umpiring. The stocky 5-foot-7 Ashford would sprint to his position between innings and around the infield after foul balls or to cover plays at the bases. He was always immaculately dressed in a freshly pressed uniform suit, debonair cufflinks and perfectly polished shoes. On strike calls, Ashford would first jerk his right arm to the side, then up and then down like a karate chop. Once the karate chop was completed, he would either reach up twice like yanking a train whistle or to the right, like he was opening a car door.
Emmett Ashford also pirouetted as he cleaned home plate and generally made baseball a happier place with his non-stop enthusiasm and unique ways of officiating MLB games. He even won over legendary umpire hater and master arguer, manager Earl Weaver, if only for one hot summer day when Weaver never went ballistic and actually had a pleasant exchange with Ashford regarding a missed call. A rarity!
Ashford was the left field umpire in the 1967 All-Star game and worked all five games of the 1970 World Series. “For the first time in the history of the grand old American game, baseball fans may buy a ticket to watch an umpire perform.” The Sporting News.
It certainly wasn’t all wine and roses for Ashford in being the first umpire of color in the majors and during his 15 years umpiring in the minors. He got punched in the face one game, was regularly called racial epithets, and while traveling with three other white umpires in the majors, Ashford reflected, “these were very lonely summers.”
The behavior of some of his fellow umpires were downright unkind and cruel, with regular talking behind Ashfords back or instances like letting him run on the field himself, making Ashford look like a fool, while laughing at him as they watched from the dugout. Nevertheless, Ashford always kept his dignity and spirit that enhanced the game of baseball. Even on his day of glory, Ashford had trouble getting into the ballpark. A Secret Service agent questioned the validity of Ashford being an umpire, stating, “there are no negro umpires in the major leagues.” Ashford responded, “well there will be a negro umpire in the American League if you let me into the park.” The Secret Service were manning positions because Vice President Hubert Humphrey was to throw out the first pitch.
Cheers to you Emmett Ashford, you are a legend!
