Books and articles about Cy Rigler

One of baseball's most illustrious umpires, Rigler was a mountain of a man who stood over 6 feet and weighed 240. In 1903 he played right tackle for the original Massillon Tigers professional football team. He later coached football and baseball at the University of Virginia and was athletic advisor to many colleges. He is usually credited with beginning the practice of signaling strikes with the upward movement of his right arm. However, the oft-repeated explanation that he did it for the benefit of deaf player Dummy Hoy is unlikely since Hoy was out of the majors by the time Rigler arrived. A more likely version is that Rigler began using signals while at Evansville, Indiana during his second year as a pro umpire. Then when Rigler came to the majors he found that his signal system had preceded him. Rigler called Sam Rice's controversial "mystery catch" in the 1925 WS, when the Senators' Rice fell backward into the temporary bleachers while pursuing a long drive off the bat of Pirates batter Earl Smith. Rice refused to talk about it but left a letter to be opened after his death. Rice died in 1974; the letter stated he had made the catch as Rigler called it. (RTM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 30, 1905: At Evansville, IN, future ML umpire Cy Rigler begins the practice of raising his right arm to indicate strikes, so that friends in the outfield can distinguish calls. » July 4, 1908: Lefthander Hooks Wiltse pitches a 10-inning no-hitter for the Giants over the Phillies 1–0. He loses his bid for a perfect nine innings when, with two outs, he hits Phils P George McQuillan with a pitch on an 1-and-2 count. Ump Charles Rigler calls the pitch earlier a ball, to the dismay of Hooks and the fans, who thought it a strike. Art Devlin scores the winner in the 10th after singling off McQuillan and coming around on two errors. New York wins the nitecap more easily, 9–3. » October 10, 1925: For game three it's clear but bitterly cold in Washington following a rainstorm that caused the game to be rescheduled. President Coolidge throws out the first ball. The Pirates hold a slim 3–2 lead after 6. A walk and two singles score two in the 8th for Washington, and Firpo Marberry (8-6) closes it. Joe Harris has two hits for the 3rd time; he'll lead the Senators with .440. Sam Rice makes a controversial game-saving play in the 8th, tumbling into the stands in the right corner to spear a long drive by Earl Smith. About 15 seconds later he emerges with the ball. Despite the Pirates' arguments that a fan might have given it to him, ump Cy Rigler calls Smith out. Questioned about it for the rest of his life, Rice leaves a letter, to be opened after his death (in 1974), in which he states: "At no time did I lose possession of the ball." » August 25, 1929: At the Polo Grounds, fans are able to hear the calls of home plate ump Cy Rigler, who is wired for sound, a first in ML history. Wearing a mike, wearing metal-plated shoes, and standing on a flat metal sheet, Cy's calls are broadcast over speakers. The Giants top the Pirates, 10–5. » June 6, 1934: The Cubs get six runs in the 13th inning to beat the Cards 12–6. In a row with umpire Cy Rigler, Frank Frisch is hit in the jaw by the ump's mask. Both are fined $100.