Derryl Cousins

Derryl Cousins (August 18, 1946 – October 19, 2020) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB), who worked in the American League (AL) from 1979 to 1999, and umpired throughout both leagues from 2000 until his retirement following the 2012 season, ending his career as a crew chief.[1]

Derryl Cousins
Cousins in 2009
Born(1946-08-18)August 18, 1946
Fresno, California, U.S.
DiedOctober 20, 2020(2020-10-20) (aged 74)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
OccupationMLB umpire
Years active1979–2012
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)

Cousins was hired as a replacement umpire during the 1979 Major League umpires strike and was the last replacement umpire from that strike to officiate in the league at the time of his retirement.

Early life and career

Cousins was born in Fresno, California, on August 18, 1946.[2] He graduated from El Segundo High School, and went on to study at El Camino College.[3] He played minor league baseball for several seasons before entering umpiring. He started playing as a catcher with the Statesville Tigers of the Western Carolinas League. He proceeded to play for the Rocky Mount Leafs of the Carolina League in 1968, then with the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms. He made a comeback with the Reno Aces of the California League in 1970.[2]

Cousins umpired in the Midwest League, Carolina League, Texas League, Pacific Coast League and Arizona Instructional League before being promoted to MLB during the 1979 umpire strike.[4]

Umpiring career

Cousins umpired in the World Series in 1988, 1999 and 2005.[5] He also officiated in the All-Star Game in 1987, 1998 and 2008, and was behind the plate for the 2008 game at Yankee Stadium, which lasted a record 4 hours 50 minutes before ending in the 15th inning. He worked in seven League Championship Series (1985, 1989, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010), and in five Division Series (1997, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2007). Cousins was promoted to crew chief for the 2008 season. He was also crew chief during the semi-finals and finals of the 2009 World Baseball Classic,[4] and served as the home plate umpire in the latter game.[6]

Cousins wore uniform number 13,[4] starting when the AL adopted numbers in 1980. After his retirement, that number was used by Todd Tichenor.[7][8] Since Cousins was called up to the AL during the 1979 umpires' strike, he was not allowed to join the Major League Umpires Association, the former umpires' union which was headed by Richie Phillips. He was a member of the World Umpires Association, the new collective bargaining union of MLB umpires since 2000.[9] Cousins was the last umpire to wear the American League's red blazer during its tenure in the AL (from 1973 to 1979), and also one of the few officials who wore the AL's red short-sleeved shirt in the mid to late 1990s.[10]

Cousins umpired his 4,000th game on May 3, 2009, when the Seattle Mariners faced the Oakland Athletics. He became the eighteenth MLB umpire to attain that milestone.[11][12] For the 2008 season, he was promoted to crew chief. His crew for that season included Angel Hernandez, Eric Cooper, and Marty Foster.[13] Cousins subsequently retired at the end of the 2012 season.[14]

Notable games

Later life and death

Cousins was arrested in March 2015 for driving under the influence in downtown Scottsdale, Arizona. He was consequently released on $2,000 bail. He was residing in Las Vegas at the time of the incident.[3]

Cousins died on October 19, 2020, at his home in Palm Springs, California.[25] He was 74, and suffered from cancer in the time leading up to his death.[5]

See also

References
  1. "3 MLB Umps Hired, 3 Retired, 3 New Crew Chiefs". Close Call Sports. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  2. "Derryl Cousins Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  3. Hoornstra, J.P. (March 25, 2015). "Retired MLB umpire Derryl Cousins arrested on Extreme DUI in Arizona". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  4. "Umpires: Roster – Derryl Cousins". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  5. "Longtime MLB umpire Derryl Cousins dies at 74". Associated Press News. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  6. "Japan vs. Korea at Dodger Stadium". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. March 23, 2009. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  7. "MLB umpire bios". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  8. Fraley, Gerry (May 31, 2015). "Jeff Banister explains how he's handling his first true ejection as a manager". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  9. Chass, Murray (April 3, 2000). "Baseball – After Union Turmoil and Leagues' Merger, Choosing Umpire Crews Is a Balancing Act". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  10. "Baseball – Umpire Makes the Call Behind the Plate: No Coat". The New York Times. April 10, 1996. p. B11. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  11. Bollinger, Rhett (May 5, 2009). "Cousins umps 4,000th career game". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  12. "May 3, 2009 Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. May 3, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  13. Hoynes, Paul (May 4, 2011). "Fausto Carmona snaps his poor road luck with victory – Cleveland Indians daily briefing". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  14. Casella, Paul (February 25, 2013). "New crew chiefs, new hires highlight '13 umpire staff". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  15. Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees Box Score, August 4, 1985 Baseball Reference.com Retrieved August 11, 2017
  16. "1988 World Series Game 1, Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. October 15, 1988. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  17. The Official Major League Baseball Fact Book 2002. The Sporting News. 2002. p. 161. ISBN 0-89204-670-8.
  18. "August 4, 2007 San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. August 4, 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  19. Schulman, Henry (January 27, 2012). "Giants sign Hensley, who yielded No. 755 to Bonds". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  20. "September 21, 2008 Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. September 21, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  21. Kepner, Tyler (September 21, 2008). "A Long Goodbye to an 85-Year Run". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  22. Braden's perfect game 19th ever and second straight against Rays ESPN.com. Retrieved July 24, 2012
  23. "July 9, 2011 Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. July 9, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  24. Kepner, Tyler (July 9, 2011). "Jeter Reaches 3,000 Hits With Home Run". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  25. "Longtime MLB umpire Derryl Cousins dies at 74". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
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