I met some of baseballs history today...

[billybroome]

I met former National League Umpire John Kibler. He was the first base umpire in the infamous Mets/Red Sox World Series where Bill Buckner let the slow ground ball go through his legs handing New York the game. He's retired now and living here in Prescott Arizona, sort of a celebrity at the local Sports Bar.

We sat together at the bar for well over an hour while he told me stories of calling games, especially those at Cincinnati's old Riverfront Stadium during the Big Red Machine era.

The player on the Reds he that really impressed him was Johnny Bench. He called him the best catcher EVER. The way he called pitches, and his canon arm throwing out base stealers with ease. He should know...he stood behind him while calling balls and strikes.

The people in the above photograph. Umpire John Kibler pointing fair. Home-plate umpire Dale Ford, Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman and Red Sox pitcher Bob Stanley and first baseman Bill Buckner, backs turned, facing a ball scooting into short right field. Mets first-base coach Bill Robinson has his arms extended in shock.

I asked him of his thoughts as the play transpired. He replied "When I saw the ball hit, I thought it was over. I was getting ready to call the final out of the World Series and ended up working another day!"

[Kidhuman]

Thats awesome. I would love to talk with a former/current Ump about the game.

[Lil Bit Special]

I asked him of his thoughts as the play transpired. He replied "When I saw the ball hit, I thought it was over. I was getting ready to call the final out of the World Series and ended up working another day!"

except for the fact the game was tied at that time and the game would have gone to the 11th inning.

[GangGreen]

I met former National League Umpire John Kibler. He was the first base umpire in the infamous Mets/Red Sox World Series where Bill Buckner let the slow ground ball go through his legs handing New York the game. He's retired now and living here in Prescott Arizona, sort of a celebrity at the local Sports Bar.

We sat together at the bar for well over an hour while he told me stories of calling games, especially those at Cincinnati's old Riverfront Stadium during the Big Red Machine era.

The player on the Reds he that really impressed him was Johnny Bench. He called him the best catcher EVER. The way he called pitches, and his canon arm throwing out base stealers with ease. He should know...he stood behind him while calling balls and strikes.

The people in the above photograph. Umpire John Kibler pointing fair. Home-plate umpire Dale Ford, Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman and Red Sox pitcher Bob Stanley and first baseman Bill Buckner, backs turned, facing a ball scooting into short right field. Mets first-base coach Bill Robinson has his arms extended in shock.

I asked him of his thoughts as the play transpired. He replied "When I saw the ball hit, I thought it was over. I was getting ready to call the final out of the World Series and ended up working another day!"

That through the legs was the best play ever.