centerfieldmaz Remembers Harry Wendelstedt & Don Mincher On Their Passing
Harry Hunter Wendelstedt Jr . was born July 27th 1938 in Baltimore Maryland. He began umpiring in the major leagues in 1966 for the National League. Wendelstat was famous for having a wide strike zone, he would shout & use the now famous so called "chain saw move" on a called third strike. If it was a swinging strike he would raise his right arm straight up in the air signaling the out. In 1968 he made a controversial call in favor of Dodger pitcher Don Drysdale which helped him continue his scoreless innings streak to his record 58 2/3 innings. San Francisco Giants batter Dick Dietz was hit in the elbow with a pitch & if he had gotten to first base a run would have scored. But Wendelstedt ruled Dietz made no attempt to get out of the way, Drysdale's streak continued on. On April 22, 1970 Wendelstedt was behind the plate at Shea Stadium when Tom Seaver struck out 19 San Diego Padres tying a major league single game strike out record. In that game Seaver struc...