Frank Pulli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Pulli
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| Born | March 22, 1935 |
| Died | August 28, 2013 (aged 78) |
| Occupation | Umpire |
| Years active | 1972–1999 |
| Employer | Major League Baseball |
Frank Victor Pulli (born March 22, 1935 – died August 28, 2013) was a professional baseball umpire. He worked in the National League from 1972 until 1999. Frank Pulli was known for umpiring many important games, including four World Series. He wore uniform number 14 during his career.
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Frank Pulli's Umpiring Career
During his time as an umpire, Frank Pulli worked in many big baseball games. He was an umpire in four World Series (in 1978, 1983, 1990, and 1995). He also umpired in six National League Championship Series and four National League Division Series.
Pulli was also part of two All-Star Games (in 1977 and 1988). A very famous moment he was part of happened on April 8, 1974. He was the first base umpire when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record!
In 1989, Frank Pulli and another umpire, Rich Garcia, faced a problem. They had placed bets on sports events that were not baseball games, which was against the rules. The baseball commissioner, Fay Vincent, put them on probation. This meant they were given a warning and had to be extra careful to follow the rules.
Later, in 1999, many umpires, including Pulli, resigned together because of a disagreement with Major League Baseball. The league hired new umpires. Frank Pulli was one of the umpires who was not hired back right away. Instead, he was allowed to retire. After that, he was hired again by Major League Baseball to be an umpire supervisor, helping to train and oversee other umpires.
Key Moments and Calls
1978 World Series Controversy
Frank Pulli was involved in a debated play during Game 4 of the 1978 World Series. In the 6th inning, New York Yankees player Lou Piniella hit the ball. The ball was thrown towards first base, but it hit Reggie Jackson's leg. Jackson was standing between first and second base.
The Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, argued that Jackson should have been called out for interfering with the throw. However, Pulli, who was umpiring at first base, decided that Jackson did not intentionally interfere. The play stood, and the Yankees went on to win that game and the series.
1979 NLCS Disputed Call
Pulli was also part of a controversial call in Game 2 of the 1979 National League Championship Series. In the fifth inning, Phil Garner of the Pittsburgh Pirates hit a hard line drive. It looked like Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dave Collins caught the ball.
But Pulli ruled that Collins had only trapped the ball, meaning it hit the ground just before he caught it. This call was very important because Garner later scored, giving the Pirates the lead. The Pirates won that game and eventually the series.
First Use of Instant Replay
Frank Pulli was the first umpire to use instant replay during a major league game. This happened on May 31, 1999, during a game between the Florida Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals. A Marlins player, Cliff Floyd, hit a ball that was close to being a home run.
At first, it was called a double, then a home run. But Pulli, who was the head umpire, watched a replay on a TV monitor. After seeing the replay, he changed the call back to a double. Even though this was a big moment, using instant replay was not allowed by the league rules at that time. Major League Baseball did not officially adopt the use of instant replay in Major League Baseball until 2008.
How Technology Helped Umpires
After he retired, Frank Pulli's experience was very helpful in baseball's use of QuesTec. QuesTec is a special technology that helps observe and grade how well home plate umpires call balls and strikes.
Many umpires believed that this technology changed how they judged the strike zone. Pulli would sometimes call umpires after games to encourage them to adjust their calls based on what QuesTec showed. This helped umpires become more consistent.
Frank Pulli's Personal Life
Frank Pulli was born in Easton, Pennsylvania. He passed away in Palm Harbor, Florida, on August 28, 2013. He died due to health problems related to Parkinson's disease.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball umpires
