Art Passarella

Arthur Matthew Passarella (December 23, 1909 – October 12, 1981) was an American major league baseball umpire and actor. He worked in the American League from 1941 to 1942, and again from 1945 to 1953. He missed two years due to military service in World War II.[1] Passarella umpired 1,668 major league games in his career. He umpired in three World Series (1945, 1949 and 1952) and two All-Star Games (1947 and 1951).[2] He appeared in several television shows, including The Streets of San Francisco, Home Run Derby, Ironside, and Sea Hunt, and in the movie That Touch of Mink.[3]

Art Passarella
Born
Arthur Matthew Passarella

(1909-12-23)December 23, 1909
Rochester, New York
DiedOctober 12, 1981(1981-10-12) (aged 71)
Hemet, California
Years active1941–1942, 1945–1952
EmployerAmerican League
Known forUmpiring, Acting

Umpiring career

Passarella's professional umpiring career began in the 1930s with the Cotton States League. After that league dissolved, Passarella moved on to the Texas League. He umpired there for eight years before signing on to the American League.[4]

Passarella joined the American League in 1941, then missed the 1943 and 1944 seasons due to service in the Army during World War II. He served as a plans and training clerk for a medical training battalion during the war, receiving a promotion from private first class to technician fifth grade.[5] Passarella ran what is thought to be the first military umpire training school; it was conducted for members of his medical unit.[6] In January 1945, Passarella received an Army discharge. Holding seniority over newer umpires in the American League, he regained his umpiring job, which he held until his resignation in 1953.[7][8]

In Game 5 of the 1952 World Series, Passarella called Johnny Sain out on a play at first base. Photos of the play showed that Sain had beaten the throw and first baseman Gil Hodges had taken his foot off the bag before the ball arrived. Passarella was widely condemned for missing the call, and was only partially supported by commissioner Ford Frick.[9]

Acting

Passarella acted in numerous television shows, including Home Run Derby, Ironside, and Sea Hunt. He also appeared in the movie That Touch of Mink. He is best known for portraying Sergeant Sekulovich, a legman for Detective Mike Stone, played by Karl Malden, the in-joke being that Sekulovich was Malden's real surname.[10]

He also made numerous uncredited appearances in the 1960s gangster series The Untouchables, usually as a hood or henchman of Frank Nitti (Bruce Gordon) or other Chicago hoods.

Death

Passarella died of a heart attack in Hemet, California in 1981. He was 71 years old.[4]

References
  1. The Sporting News umpire card
  2. Retrosheet
  3. Internet Movie Database
  4. "Art Passarella, Ex-Umpire, Later Acted in Films and TV". The New York Times. October 16, 1981. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  5. "Passarella Promoted". The Pittsburgh Press. December 21, 1943. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  6. "Camp Grant Starts School to Train Baseball Umpires". Toledo Blade. April 5, 1944. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  7. "Passarella Gets His Umpiring Job Back". Toronto Daily Star. January 11, 1945. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  8. "Art Passarella Quits as Umpire". Toledo Blad. November 5, 1953. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  9. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/8419099e
  10. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068135/fullcredits
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