Kerwin Danley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kerwin Danley |
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Danley in 2016
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| Born: May 25, 1961 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |
| June 12, 1992 | |
| Last appearance | |
| August 29, 2021 | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Special Assignments
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Kerwin Joseph Danley, born on May 25, 1961, is a former baseball umpire. He worked in Major League Baseball (MLB) for many years. From 1992 to 1999, he was an umpire in the National League. After that, from 2000 to 2021, he worked in both the National and American Leagues.
Danley wore uniform number 44. In 2020, he made history by becoming the first full-time African-American crew chief in MLB. He has been an umpire in important games like the World Series in 2008 and 2018. He also worked the All-Star Game in 2007 and 2016. Kerwin Danley is married to Marisa Danley.
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Playing Baseball in College
Before becoming an umpire, Kerwin Danley played baseball himself. He played for San Diego State University. While there, he was teammates with some famous baseball players. One was Bud Black, who later became an MLB coach and manager. Another was Tony Gwynn, a legendary player who is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1983, Danley was recognized as a First Team All-American for his excellent play.
Kerwin Danley's Umpire Career
Kerwin Danley had a long and notable career as an umpire. He was often part of historic baseball moments.
Memorable Games
- On August 4, 2007, Danley was the first base umpire for a game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. In that game, Barry Bonds hit his 755th career home run. This tied him with Hank Aaron for the most home runs ever at that time.
- Just a few years earlier, on August 6, 1999, Danley was also at first base when his former college teammate, Tony Gwynn, got his 3,000th career hit. This was a huge milestone for Gwynn.
- Danley was the first base umpire on June 3, 2017, when Miami Marlins pitcher Edinson Vólquez threw a no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. A no-hitter is when a pitcher completes a game without allowing any opposing player to get a hit.
Becoming a Crew Chief
On February 28, 2020, Kerwin Danley was promoted to a crew chief. This was a significant moment because he became the first African-American umpire to be a crew chief at the Major League level. A crew chief leads a team of umpires during games.
Danley retired from umpiring before the 2022 baseball season.
Injuries During Games
Umpires can sometimes get hurt during games, especially when they are close to the action. Kerwin Danley had several incidents where he was hit by baseballs or bats.
- In 2008, he was hit in the mask by a very fast pitch and was knocked out. He had to be carried off the field.
- In 2009, he was hit in the mask again, this time by a broken bat. He was once more taken off the field on a stretcher.
- On June 4, 2013, a pitch bounced and hit him in the mask, causing him to leave the game.
- On May 12, 2015, a fast foul ball hit his mask, and he had to leave the game.
- On April 7, 2016, he was hit by another fast pitch but was able to stay in the game.
- On July 9, 2017, a foul ball hit his mask, and he left the game.
- On April 27, 2021, he was hit by a foul ball and had to leave the game.
These incidents show how challenging and sometimes dangerous the job of an umpire can be.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball umpires (disambiguation)
