Nestor Chylak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1922-05-11)May 11, 1922 Olyphant, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 17, 1982(1982-02-17) (aged 59) Dunmore, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Resting place | SS.Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery,Peckville, Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | American LeagueUmpire |
| Years active | 1954–1978 |
| Military career | |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards |
|
Baseball player Baseball career | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Special Assignments | |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1999 |
| Election method | Veterans Committee |
Nestor George Chylak Jr. (/ˈtʃaɪlæk/; May 11, 1922 – February 17, 1982) was an Americanumpire inMajor League Baseball who worked in theAmerican League from 1954 to 1978. He umpired in threeALCS (1969,1972,1973), serving as crew chief in 1969 and 1973. He also called fiveWorld Series (1957,1960,1966,1971,1977), serving as the crew chief in 1971 (in which he worked home plate in the decisive Game 7) and 1977. He also worked in sixAll-Star Games:1957, 1960 (both games), 1964, 1973 and 1978, working home plate in the second 1960 game and in 1973.
Chylak was born inOlyphant, Pennsylvania. His parents, Nestor Sr. and Nellie, were ofUkrainian descent; Chylak was the first of their five children.[1] He attended theUniversity of Scranton, where he studied engineering.[2]
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in Europe. He suffered shrapnel injuries inBattle of the Bulge, which blinded him for several days and hospitalized him for eight weeks.[3] He earned both theSilver Star andPurple Heart during his service. After the war, he began umpiring amateur baseball in 1946, and returned briefly to college.[1]
After a year in amateur baseball, Chylak moved into the minor leagues as aPennsylvania-Ontario-New York League umpire. He spent several more minor league seasons in theCanadian–American League, theNew England League, and theEastern League. He debuted in the major leagues in 1954.[1]
Chylak said that two of his greatest thrills occurred in the early to mid-1960s. The first occurred in the1960 World Series: he was umpiring at first base whenBill Mazeroski of thePittsburgh Pirates hit the home run that allowed the Pirates to defeat theNew York Yankees. His second was during the1966 World Series; he was the home plate umpire during what turned out to beSandy Koufax's final game, before his retirement a few weeks later.[4]
Chylak worked the firstAmerican League Championship Series in 1969. On June 4, 1974, he was umpiring at third base in Cleveland for "Ten Cent Beer Night".[5] TheCleveland Indians had been struggling with low attendance figures, resulting in this promotion that attracted more than 25,000 fans to the game. Fans became unruly and incited fights with the players, sometimes pouring beer on them. Chylak, exercising his authority as crew chief, declared the game a forfeit after he sustained a facial wound from being hit with a chair.[1]
He was the home plate umpire for the first major league game played by theToronto Blue Jays in 1977 during a snowstorm atExhibition Stadium against theChicago White Sox.[6]
After retiring from the field in 1978, he became an assistant league supervisor of umpires. Chylak was in the umpire's dressing room atComiskey Park onDisco Demolition Night, a July 12, 1979, doubleheader between theDetroit Tigers andChicago White Sox. Between the games of the doubleheader, unruly fans rioted. Because of damage to the field, the umpires, led by crew chief Dave Phillips, refused to allow the second game to be played. When American League presidentLee MacPhail decided the White Sox must forfeit the second game, Chylak was the one who informed White Sox ownerBill Veeck.[7]
According to family, his most memorable game was umpiring the 1960 World Series when, on October 13, Bill Mazeroski hit a home run off reliever Ralph Terry at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. This was the only homer to end a World Series game 7 in major league history.
With a total of 31 career ejections, he was also credited with never throwing Baltimore managerEarl Weaver out of a game.
Following his retirement, he became a member of theSports Illustrated Speakers' Bureau and addressed a wide variety of groups, "talking about the intangible lessons he learned during his years in baseball".[8] Chylak died in his sleep on February 17, 1982, at age 59 inDunmore, Pennsylvania, and was survived by his wife Sue, his sons Robert and William, and three siblings.[4]
Upon his death,Bowie Kuhn said that "few have ever been more respected in his field than Mr. Chylak."[4] AL presidentLee MacPhail said, "He was considered an outstanding teacher and certainly one of the finest umpires in major league baseball in modern times. We are sure he will be a candidate for eventual Hall of Fame recognition... Baseball has lost a wonderful friend and a great umpire."[4] He was elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1999.[9]
In 2013, theBob Feller Act of Valor Award honored Chylak as one of 37 Baseball Hall of Fame members for his service in the United States Army during World War II.[10]
