Last of the player-umpires

Ken Burkhart, a former major leaguer and then a longtime ump in the bigs, died on this day two years ago at the age of 89. He was the last of a dying breed - the major league umpire who had also played major league baseball.

Burkhart was a promising pitcher when he came up with the Cardinals in 1945, and he proved himself instantly by going 18-8 with a 2.90 ERA. Unfortunately, he began having arm troubles that year that would prematurely end his career. Over the next four years, he worked mostly from the bullpen, and left the game at the end of the 1949 season.

He got back to the bigs almost immediately as an umpire and had a distinguished career in blue, working three World Series and four All-Star games.

As an ump, he forever will be remembered for two things. He worked back-to-back no-hitters in September of 1968, first on the 17th when Giant Gaylord Perry blanked the Cardinals, and then the very next day when Ray Washburn of the Cards returned the favor to San Fran.

But unfortunately for Burkhart, his most famous moment was one of infamy. On a bang-bang play in Game One of the 1970 World Series, he got caught up between Orioles' catcher Ellie Hendricks and the Reds' Bernie Carbo, who was sliding into home plate. Burkhart was knocked to the ground when Hendricks dove to make a tag on Carbo. Clearly out of position, he called Carbo out, but replays showed that Hendricks had tagged him with an empty glove. It was the sixth inning, and the score was tied 3-3. The Orioles went on to win the game 4-3, and then the Series in five games. A much loved and respected figure throughout baseball, Ken Burkhart was never much welcome in Cincinnati after that.