Name Jeff Nelson Role Umpire | Education Bethel University Mlb debut May 9, 1997 | |
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Born June 1, 1965 (age 58)
St. Paul, Minnesota ( 1965-06-01 ) | ||
Jeff nelson explains the umps care charity
Jeffrey Brian Nelson (born on June 1, 1965) is an umpire in Major League Baseball who was named to the National League staff prior to the 1999 season, and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. Nelson, a graduate of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, wears uniform number 45. He was promoted to crew chief starting for the 2014 season.
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Umpiring career
Nelson was named Top Prospect at the Joe Brinkman Umpiring School in 1989. He was promoted to the National League prior to the 1999 season along with Paul Nauert to fill vacancies left by the retirements of Jim Quick and Harry Wendelstedt.
While in the minor leagues, Nelson was the chief rules instructor at the former Brinkman-Froemming umpire school in Cocoa, Florida from 1997 until the school's closing in 1998. He continues to teach at umpire clinics in the off-season. Additionally, Nelson is currently the secretary/treasurer of the major league umpires' union, the World Umpires Association.
During his career, Nelson has received several postseason assignments, including the 2005 World Series, 2009 World Series and the 2014 World Series. He also worked the League Championship Series in 2002, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2016; and the Division Series in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2009, and 2014. He has also umpired in the 2006 and 2014 MLB All-Star Games.
Controversies
During Game 2 of the 2012 American League Championship Series, Nelson ejected New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi for arguing a missed call at second base after Nelson incorrectly ruled that Detroit Tiger Omar Infante was safe. Nelson later acknowledged his safe call was wrong.
In Game 6 of the 2015 American League Championship Series, Nelson called two controversial strikes against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning in their game against the Kansas City Royals, one of them against Ben Revere who later said that the call was "terrible."
Notable games
Nelson was behind home plate when Mark McGwire hit his 500th home run, and worked the game in which Rickey Henderson made his 3000th hit.
He served as the second base umpire when Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter against the Houston Astros at Miller Park on September 14, 2008.
Nelson was the plate umpire for a Detroit Tigers–Kansas City Royals game on September 27, 2012 when Tigers pitcher Doug Fister set an American League record by striking out nine consecutive batters.
He was chosen as one of the umpires for the one-game Wild Card playoff between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals on October 5, 2012.
He worked home plate for Game 7 of the 2014 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Nelson was the plate umpire for the Baltimore Orioles-Seattle Mariners game on August 12, 2015 when Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma threw a no-hitter.
He was the home plate umpire for the 2015 National League Wild Card Game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.