University of Tennessee Athletics
A Career of Stories
April 13, 2012 | Baseball
April 13, 2012
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Dale Ford had a storied career as an umpire in the American League for parts of three decades. On Thursday afternoon, those stories came to life as Ford was the featured speaker at the season's second Tennessee Baseball Luncheon in the MVP Club Room at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
His career calling balls and strikes was close to never getting off the ground. Ford worked as a foreman at Holston Beck while attending college at East Tennessee State University, and discovered in the course of a class discussion that he actually made more than the professors that were teaching his classes. Still the dream of being a Major League umpire drew him away from the Holston plant, even though friends, family and co-workers were not exactly supportive of the move.
"When I left to go to umpiring school, I had people from everywhere call me and tell me I was an idiot for leaving my job," Ford said. "No one from Tennessee had ever made it to umpire in the National League or American League, but I went anyway. Four years later, I was an umpire in the Major Leagues in the American League and about half those same people said `I sure am glad I encouraged you to go.'"
Ford's career in the big leagues spanned from 1974-1999 and included a pair of All-Star Games, in 1988 and 1999, as well as World Series assignments in 1986 and 1997.
He was behind the plate in game six of the 1986 World Series between the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox, forever known as the "Buckner Game" in the memories of Red Sox fans after a fateful error by Boston first baseman Bill Buckner.
Ford also gained a measure of notoriety for once ejecting Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver during the national anthem.
"I had run him the night before, so I actually ran him two straight games," Ford said. "He stood next to me during the anthem and asked me out of the side of his mouth how many calls I was going to blow today. I said `When this lady finishes singing, you can get out of here.'"
Following his retirement from baseball, Ford returned to his hometown of Jonesborough, Tenn., and entered another competitive arena, state politics. He is in his third term as a Representative in the Tennessee General Assembly.
At the conclusion of his comments, Ford had a strong a clear message for the approximately 100 Tennessee fans in attendance as he turned to Vol head coach Dave Serrano.
"You guys don't have a good coaching staff, you have a great coaching staff," Ford said. "Get out there and support them."
