Hunter Wendelstedt
Encyclopedia
Harry Hunter Wendelstedt III (born June 22, 1971 in Atlanta, Georgia
) is a baseball umpire who has worked in the National League
in 1998-1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. His father Harry Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr.
was an NL umpire from 1966 to 1998. Hunter Wendelstedt goes by his middle name to avoid confusion with his father.
Hunter attended Loyola University of New Orleans for two years, where he was a member of Alpha Delta Gamma
Fraternity.
Hunter Wendelstedt had only worked in one postseason series prior to his appointment to the 2006 American League Championship Series
between the Detroit Tigers
and Oakland Athletics
, that being the 2003 National League Division Series
.
As his career began just as his father was retiring, Hunter Wendelstedt wears the same number as his father did, 21.
For the 2011 season, Wendelstedt is assigned to Jerry Layne
's Crew O along with Bob Davidson
and Brian Knight
.
On October 7, 2010, Wendelstedt ejected Minnesota Twins
manager Ron Gardenhire
from Game 2 of the American League Division Series
after Gardenhire argued a pitch which appeared to be strike three to Lance Berkman
. Wendelstedt ruled it a ball, and on the next pitch Berkman hit a double scoring two runs and putting the Yankees up 4-2 (they would ultimately win 5-2). It was at least the fourth time Wendelstedt has ejected Gardenhire. In 2005, Gardenhire was suspended one game and fined after delivering a profanity-laced rant about Wendelstedt, and in 2009, Wendelstedt suggested that Gardenhire should attend his umpiring school to "learn what a balk is," after ejecting Gardenhire for arguing a non-balk call. http://blogs.courant.com/baseball/2010/10/gardenhirewendelstedt-a-little.html This contentious history fueled questions about the appropriateness of Major League Baseball putting Wendelstedt on a post-season series involving Gardenhire, as there is precedent in baseball for avoiding such confrontations, most notably the American League removing umpire Ron Luciano
from games involving the Baltimore Orioles
due to a long history of bad blood between the umpire and Orioles manager Earl Weaver
. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1106397/index.htm
Wendelstedt has often been the subject of criticism about his seemingly inconsistent strike zone, most recently in the aforementioned game on October 7, 2010. http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/szoneCDB.php?pitchSel=all&game=gid_2010_10_07_nyamlb_minmlb_1/&innings=yyyyyyyyy&s_type=&sp_type=1&h_size=700&v_size=500&reParsed=0&extraStr=|10/7/2010|New%20York%20Yankees%20@%20Minnesota%20Twins
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
) is a baseball umpire who has worked in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in 1998-1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. His father Harry Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr.
Harry Wendelstedt
Harry Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr. is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1966 to 1998. He umpired in the World Series in 1973, 1980, 1986, 1991 and 1995, serving as crew chief in 1980 and 1995...
was an NL umpire from 1966 to 1998. Hunter Wendelstedt goes by his middle name to avoid confusion with his father.
Hunter attended Loyola University of New Orleans for two years, where he was a member of Alpha Delta Gamma
Alpha Delta Gamma
Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity is an American Greek-letter social fraternity and one of 74 members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference...
Fraternity.
Hunter Wendelstedt had only worked in one postseason series prior to his appointment to the 2006 American League Championship Series
2006 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Detroit turned four double plays...
between the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, that being the 2003 National League Division Series
2003 National League Division Series
-San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...
.
As his career began just as his father was retiring, Hunter Wendelstedt wears the same number as his father did, 21.
For the 2011 season, Wendelstedt is assigned to Jerry Layne
Jerry Layne
Jerry Blake Layne is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League between 1989 and 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000...
's Crew O along with Bob Davidson
Bob Davidson (umpire)
Robert Allan Davidson is an umpire for Major League Baseball.-Early life:Bob Davidson graduated from Duluth East High School in Duluth, Minnesota in 1970. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he played baseball for two seasons. Davidson then left to pursue a professional umpiring...
and Brian Knight
Brian Knight
Brian Michael Knight is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 91.Knight has umpired in the Major Leagues since , although he was not officially promoted to the Major League staff until...
.
On October 7, 2010, Wendelstedt ejected Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
manager Ron Gardenhire
Ron Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
from Game 2 of the American League Division Series
American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series...
after Gardenhire argued a pitch which appeared to be strike three to Lance Berkman
Lance Berkman
William Lance Berkman is an American professional baseball outfielder and right fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball....
. Wendelstedt ruled it a ball, and on the next pitch Berkman hit a double scoring two runs and putting the Yankees up 4-2 (they would ultimately win 5-2). It was at least the fourth time Wendelstedt has ejected Gardenhire. In 2005, Gardenhire was suspended one game and fined after delivering a profanity-laced rant about Wendelstedt, and in 2009, Wendelstedt suggested that Gardenhire should attend his umpiring school to "learn what a balk is," after ejecting Gardenhire for arguing a non-balk call. http://blogs.courant.com/baseball/2010/10/gardenhirewendelstedt-a-little.html This contentious history fueled questions about the appropriateness of Major League Baseball putting Wendelstedt on a post-season series involving Gardenhire, as there is precedent in baseball for avoiding such confrontations, most notably the American League removing umpire Ron Luciano
Ron Luciano
Ronald Michael Luciano was an American Major League Baseball umpire from 1969 to 1979 in the American League...
from games involving the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
due to a long history of bad blood between the umpire and Orioles manager Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1106397/index.htm
Wendelstedt has often been the subject of criticism about his seemingly inconsistent strike zone, most recently in the aforementioned game on October 7, 2010. http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/szoneCDB.php?pitchSel=all&game=gid_2010_10_07_nyamlb_minmlb_1/&innings=yyyyyyyyy&s_type=&sp_type=1&h_size=700&v_size=500&reParsed=0&extraStr=|10/7/2010|New%20York%20Yankees%20@%20Minnesota%20Twins