Derryl Cousins

Derryl Cousins (born August 18, 1946) is a former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He worked in the American League (AL) from 1979 to 1999, and umpired throughout both leagues from 2000 until his retirement following the 2012 season. Cousins was hired as a replacement umpire during the 1979 Major League Umpires Strike and was the last 1979 replacement umpire to officiate in the league at the time of his retirement.

Early life and career

Derryl Cousins was born in 1946. He attended El Camino College. He played minor league baseball for several seasons before entering umpiring. 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.

Umpiring career

Cousins umpired in the World Series in 1988, 1999 and 2005. 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 also officiated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Cousins wore uniform number 13, starting when the AL adopted numbers in 1980 – after his retirement that number was used by Todd Tichenor. 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. Cousins was the last umpire to have worn the American League's red blazer during its tenure in the AL (from 1973–1979), and also one of the few who wore the AL's red short-sleeved shirt in the late 1990s.

For the 2012 season, Cousins was a crew chief. His 2012 crew included Jim Joyce, Ron Kulpa, and Jim Wolf. Joyce was replaced by a AAA fill-in umpire after he was promoted to acting crew chief.

Notable games

Cousins was the third base umpire in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series when Kirk Gibson hit his famous pinch-hit home run.

On May 12, 2001, Cousins was the third base umpire during A.J. Burnett's no-hitter against the San Diego Padres.

He was the home plate umpire for the game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres on August 4, 2007. In the top of the second inning at San Diego, Barry Bonds of the Giants hit his 755th career home run off Clay Hensley, tying Hank Aaron for first all-time.

Cousins served as the second base umpire in the last game in Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2008.

He called his 4,000th game in Seattle on May 3, 2009, when the Seattle Mariners faced the Oakland A's.

Cousins was the first base umpire when Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history on May 9, 2010.