Henry Francis O'Day (July 8, 1862 - July 2, 1935) was an American right-handed pitcher, manager and – most significantly – umpire in Major League Baseball. He worked as a National League umpire for 30 years between 1895 and 1927. July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... 1862 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... 1935 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... In baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager; this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. ... Home plate umpire Gary Darling signals that the last pitch was a strike In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and meting out discipline. ... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in North America. ... This article refers to the American baseball league. ...

O'Day was born in Chicago, Illinois, one of six children of two deaf parents. He made his debut as a major league player with the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884, and in his 7-year career he posted a record of 73-110. After stops with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys (1885), Washington Nationals (1886-89) and New York Giants (1889), he blossomed with 2 strong wins in the 1889 World Series, then enjoyed his best season by going 22-13 in his final year with the New York Giants in the Players League. However, he developed arm trouble as a result of pitching over 300 innings that year, and ended his playing career in the minor leagues in 1893. Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... This article is on the baseball team. ... San Francisco Giants AAA Fresno Grizzlies AA Norwich Navigators A San Jose Giants Augusta GreenJackets Salem-Keizer Volcanoes R Arizona Giants Edit this box The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California. ... 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... In baseball, the World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball in North America, played in October after the end of the regular season between the pennant winner of the American League and the pennant winner of the National League. ... The Players League was an attempt to establish a third major baseball league in 1890. ...

Soon afterward, however, O'Day returned to the NL as an umpire, and he eventually developed a reputation as the finest official in the league. He umpired in 10 World Series – a total exceeded only by the 18 worked by Bill Klem, whose hiring O'Day had recommended – including four of the first five played; for the first three, he was the only NL umpire for the Series: 1903, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1916, 1918, 1920, 1923 and 1926. William J. Klem (February 22, 1874 _ September 1, 1951), known as the father of baseball umpires, was a National League umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941. ... 1903 World Series Poster The 1903 World Series, the first modern World Series to be played in Major League Baseball, matched the Boston Americans against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Boston prevailing 5 games to 3. ... The 1905 World Series matched the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Athletics, with the Giants winning 4 games to 1. ... The 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series in 5 games (4 wins and 1 tie) for their first championship. ... The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. ... The 1910 World Series featured the Philadelphia Athletics and the Chicago Cubs, with the Athletics winning in 5 games to earn their first championship. ... The Boston Red Sox beat the Brooklyn Robins in 5 games. ... The 1918 World Series featured the Boston Red Sox, who defeated the Chicago Cubs four games to two. ... The Cleveland Indians beat the Brooklyn Robins in 7 games. ... The New York Yankees beat the New York Giants in 6 games. ... The St. ...

On September 23, 1908, O'Day was involved in the most controversial field decision in major league history. He was working as the plate umpire in the game between the Cubs and the Giants, which ended when Al Bridwell's single drove in the apparent winning run. However, baserunner Fred Merkle never advanced from first base to second, in keeping with the common practice of the era. When the Cubs produced a ball – not necessarily the game ball, which had been thrown into the stands – and claimed a force play at second base, which would negate the run, the debate erupted. Base umpire Bob Emslie had been watching the play at first base to verify that the batter had reached base, but had not seen the play at second. Only later that evening did O'Day rule that the force play had been valid and that the run did not count, causing the game to end in a tie; the league president upheld his decision, and the Cubs overtook New York to win the pennant by a single game. September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... See also: 1907 in sports, 1909 in sports and the list of years in sports. Baseball The Chicago Cubs defeat the Detroit Tigers, four games to one, in the World Series. ... Chicago Cubs National League AAA Iowa Cubs AA West Tenn Diamond Jaxx A Daytona Cubs Peoria Chiefs Boise Hawks R Mesa Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago. ...

O'Day called balls and strikes for no-hitters in four decades, a distinction which has been matched only by Harry Wendelstedt. During the 1920 World Series, O'Day was the second base umpire when Bill Wambsganss executed the only unassisted triple play in Series history. In baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes three putouts by himself in one continuous play. ...

In 1912, O'Day agreed to become the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, who he guided to a 75-78 record. After returning to umpiring in 1913, he managed the Cubs to a 78-76 finish in 1914, and then went back to umpiring for good. Both teams which he managed finished in fourth place. He retired following the 1927 season and became the NL's scout for new umpires. Cincinnati Reds National League AAA Louisville Bats AA Chattanooga Lookouts A Sarasota Reds Dayton Dragons R Billings Mustangs GCL Reds The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. ...

O'Day began his career in an era during which only one umpire worked in most games, and he spent the remainder in a time when only two were used. In addition, this period witnessed constant violence against umpires, from both players and spectators. To deal with the resulting solitary life of his profession, O'Day chose to live an intensely private life, avoiding the hangers-on who habituated the major league hotels and travel routes, and assiduously maintaining an taciturn aloofness from those who demonstrated an eagerness to get to know him. He did, however, develop a lasting friendship with fellow umpire Emslie, one of his pitching opponents in the 1880s, after both had been in the league for a number of years; he also enjoyed long friendships with John Heydler, who had been a fellow umpire in the 1890s and later became O'Day's supervisor as NL president, and Connie Mack, who had been O'Day's catcher for 3 years in Washington. Connie Mack baseball card, 1910 Cornelius Alexander Mack (December 22, 1862 _ February 8, 1956), born Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, was an American professional baseball player, manager and team owner. ...

Projecting a grim and forbidding demeanor to most observers throughout his career, he was nonetheless quite moved by the expressions of affection he received following an appendectomy in 1926; individuals throughout the game who regarded him as unapproachable, and perhaps somewhat grouchy, had come to revere his great reputation for integrity and ethics, and his unwavering insistence that the rules must be honored in both letter and spirit.

O'Day died of bronchial pneumonia at age 72 in Chicago, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery.

External links

• BaseballLibrary.com (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/O/ODay_Hank.stm) - biography and career highlights
• Baseball-Reference.com  (http://www.baseball-reference.com/o/o%27dayha01.shtml) - career playing and managing statistics
• Photos at DeadBallEra.com (http://www.thedeadballera.com/Photos/ODayHank_photo.html)