Art Williams (umpire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Art Williams
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|---|---|
| Born |
Arthur Williams
February 24, 1934 |
| Died | February 8, 1979 (aged 44) |
| Resting place | Union Cemetery, Bakersfield, California |
| Occupation | Umpire |
| Years active | 1972–1977 |
| Employer | National League |
Arthur Williams (born February 24, 1934 – died February 8, 1979) was an important person in baseball. He was a professional umpire, which means he was the referee who made sure the game rules were followed. He worked in the National League (NL) from 1972 to 1977.
Art Williams made history as the first African-American umpire in the National League. During his career, he wore the number 25. He umpired 806 games in Major League Baseball (MLB) over six years. He even worked in a big playoff event called the 1975 National League Championship Series.
Contents
About Art Williams
His Baseball Journey
Art Williams grew up playing baseball. He was a pitcher for his high school team in Bakersfield, California. After high school, he joined minor league baseball. This is where players develop their skills before possibly joining Major League teams.
Sadly, Art got a serious elbow injury. This injury meant he could no longer play baseball professionally.
Becoming an Umpire
After his playing career ended, Art started umpiring local baseball games in Bakersfield. A former scout for the San Francisco Giants saw him umpire. The scout thought Art would be a great professional umpire.
So, Art went to umpire school in 1969. After finishing school, he began working as an umpire in the minor leagues.
Making History in the National League
Art Williams became the first black umpire in the National League. This happened when he worked 19 games at the end of the 1972 season. He was officially promoted to a full-time umpire on March 21, 1973.
He worked in the Triple-A International League before joining the NL. Triple-A is the highest level of minor league baseball.
His Time in MLB
Art Williams umpired for six seasons in Major League Baseball. He worked a total of 806 games. He was chosen to umpire in the 1975 National League Championship Series, which is a big honor.
After the 1977 season, his contract was not renewed. He was the only black umpire in the NL during his last season. Art felt that his dismissal might have been unfair. He thought it could have been related to racism. He believed the league might not have wanted two black umpires at the same time.
Later Life and Passing
After leaving baseball, Art Williams drove a bus in Bakersfield. In the fall of 1978, he had a seizure. He then had brain surgery. Art was in a coma for six weeks. He passed away on February 8, 1979.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball umpires
