Former Italian / American Umpire: Vic Voltaggio (1977-1996)

Vito Henry “Vic” Voltaggio was born on March 17, 1941 in Vineland, New Jersey. He is a distant relative of the legendary song writer Steven Foster famous for penning such tunes as; "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”, &"Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River").


Voltaggio is former U.S. Marine serving for eighteen months in the Vietnam War before going off to umpire school. He got to the A ball level in 1973, moving up to AA in the Carolina league in 1975 & to the AAA International League by 1976.

The following year he got the call up to the American League & began a twenty year run as a successful umpire. Over the years he would call three no hitters behind the plate, including Nolan Ryan’s in Texas.

In 1986 he was the home plate umpire for Roger Clemmens’ record breaking twenty strike out game. Voltaggio is famous for pulling his right arm back & going down on one knee on a called third strike.

Voltaggio was the second base umpire for the 1987 All Star Game in Oakland as the NL shut out the AL 2-0. He worked three ALCS (1981-1985 & 1990) as well as working the 1989 World Series which was interrupted by the Bay area earthquake. After retiring in 1996 he has been running the successful Vic Voltaggio Umpire camps around the country.