Former big league umpire Don Denkinger passed away on Friday at the age of 86. No cause of death was released.
Denkinger umpired in the American League for 30 seasons from 1969 to 1998. During that 30-year career, Denkinger was a highly regarded umpire. Yet highly regarded umpires are seldom remembered by name.
For the 4,000 plus games, Denkinger umpired he will be forever remembered in infamy (especially by St. Louis Cardinals) for his blown call in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series between the Cardinals and Kansas City Royals.
The Cardinals were three outs away from winning the World Series in the bottom of the ninth. Royals pinch hitter Jorge Orta began the inning for the Royals by hitting a weak ground ball fielded by first baseman Jack Clark who tossed it to pitcher Todd Worrell. Denkinger called Orta safe but the instant replay clearly showed Orta was out. However, in 1985, there was no mechanism to appeal a bad call. Orta was safe and all hell broke loose for the Cardinals.
Clark and Cardinals catcher Darrell Porter had a miscommunication on a foul ball hit by Steve Balboni. On the very next pitch, Balboni single. Porter then allowed a passed ball which set up Dane Iorg's game winning hit to send the World Series to Game 7 in which the Royals trounced the Cardinals 11-0. Denkinger would work Game 7 behind home plate and would toss both Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog and pitcher Joaquin Andujar. Fair or not, Denkinger's call is widely credited for the Royals winning their first World Series title.
In the years that followed, although Denkinger would acknowledge his mistake, he would persistently get death threats. Yet Denkinger would continue in the game and umpire in the 1991 World Series between the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves. Indeed, Denkinger was behind home plate when Jack Morris tossed a complete game, 10-inning shutout to give the Twins their first World Series title. This ought to have been a crowning achievement, but umpires are not remembered when they do their job.
Fortunately, Denkinger found a way to live with his mistake and could handle being reminded of it. R.I.P.
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