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| Al Somers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Al Somers |
| Birth date | July 3, 1905 |
| Death date | April 6, 1997 |
| Occupation | Baseball umpire, instructor |
| Years active | 1930s–1980s |
| Known for | Al Somers Umpire School |
Al Somers was an American professional baseball umpire and instructor who directed the Al Somers Umpire School and trained generations of umpires for Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and amateur leagues. He served as an umpire in various minor league circuits and organized one of the most influential umpire training programs in the 20th century. Somers became a central figure in the professionalization of umpiring alongside organizations such as the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues and institutions including the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Somers was born in Newark, New Jersey and raised in a working-class neighborhood influenced by regional teams like the Newark Bears (International League) and the rise of organized baseball in the early 20th century. As a young athlete he played semi-professional and minor league ball with clubs tied to circuits such as the Eastern League and the International League, sharing rosters and diamonds with contemporaries who later became coaches and executives associated with franchises like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Brooklyn Dodgers. His playing years overlapped with the careers of notable figures from the era, including Joe DiMaggio, Lefty Grove, and Tris Speaker, exposing him to the evolving rules administered by bodies such as the National Baseball Commission and later Major League Baseball.
Transitioning from player to arbiter, Somers began his umpiring career in regional circuits such as the PONY League and the Canadian–American League. He worked games featuring future stars like Satchel Paige and Hank Greenberg and encountered managers and scouts from organizations including the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. Somers's career paralleled developments in umpire administration from entities like the Baseball Writers' Association of America and labor discussions involving the Major League Baseball Players Association. During this period he accumulated practical experience with rule interpretations under the auspices of the Official Baseball Rules and interacted with prominent umpires who served in the American League and the National League.
In partnership with former umpires and instructors from schools such as the Bill McGowan School of Umpiring, Somers established the Al Somers Umpire School, which became a training hub competing with institutions like the Joe Brinkman Umpire School. The curriculum emphasized mechanics, plate work, base positioning, and game management relevant to leagues from the Pacific Coast League to the International League. The school attracted students recruited by scouts from the Major League Scouting Bureau and owner-executives from franchises such as the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers. Graduates often advanced to professional appointments with the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues and the Major League Baseball Umpires Association.
Somers's methods influenced rule enforcement practices adopted across professional circuits, and alumni of his program went on to prominent careers alongside umpires inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum such as Bill Klem and Tom Connolly. He advocated standardized instruction aligning with the Official Baseball Rules and worked indirectly with officiating bodies that governed postseason assignments for events like the World Series and the All-Star Game. His school produced umpires who officiated games featuring legendary players and managers from teams including the Boston Braves, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Phillies. Somers's impact extended into umpire assessments, mentorship traditions, and the professional pipeline connecting amateur umpiring in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and international competitions run by organizations like the International Baseball Federation.
Somers married and lived in the northeastern United States, maintaining ties with former players, umpires, and league officials from the 1930s through the late 20th century. In later years he continued to lecture at clinics and to advise umpire development programs associated with organizations such as the Society for American Baseball Research and regional winter leagues that supplied talent to the Caribbean Series. He died in 1997, leaving a legacy preserved in oral histories, alumni networks, and the continued reference to methodologies he propagated among umpiring communities tied to Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball.
Category:Baseball umpires Category:1905 births Category:1997 deaths