THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014
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ing and went into sales, but that didn’t satisfy me. Basewas for over five years, then ball was always my love. One you learn how devastating it day, I was with a bunch of friends at Yankee Stadium at really is.” a game and for some reason, I When Cuzzi started the fundraising dinner, he made a found myself focusing on the umpires. I thought to myself, promise to his friend. ‘What a great job that would “I told him that we were be, to be in the big leagues, going to raise money for his working baseball games, being daughter,” Cuzzi said. “I told in charge.’ ‘’ him that she would never Soon after, Cuzzi went to have to worry about her colthe Harry Wendlestadt Umlege education. Robert was a piring School in Florida. Harvard graduate and I said “Once I went, I got the bug,” that if she wanted to follow in Cuzzi said. “I was obsessed. her father’s footsteps, then we That was it. I became obwould send her to Harvard.” sessed and driven.” Dominique Luongo was nine It fueled Cuzzi’s odyssey when her father was diagthat started in the New Yorknosed. Penn League. Cuzzi spent 13 “I’m proud to say that years working games in minor she just completed her first league baseball, hoping for the semester at Harvard,” Cuzzi big break. said. “We know that Robert Cuzzi got the call to work is looking down with pride. his first MLB game in St. There’s no question he has Louis, a game between the something to do with this.” Cardinals and the Dodgers. At Cuzzi said that he began first, he was strictly a National his pursuit of “his dream job” League umpire, but when MLB almost 30 years ago. began moving umpires be“I started out as a school tween both leagues, Cuzzi got teacher in Union,” Cuzzi said. the chance to umpire games “I was a graphic arts teacher, but I just knew there had to be at Yankee Stadium, eventually working some games in the more to life. So I left teachVIEW from
Photo courtesy of Phil Cuzzi
Belleville native and Nutley resident Phil Cuzzi will begin his 15th season umpiring in Major League Baseball. Later this month, Cuzzi will host the annual Robert Luongo ALS Fund dinner at Nanina’s in the Park in Belleville.
American League Championship Series. “It really was unbelievable,” Cuzzi said. “People kept telling me how hard it was going to be to make it, but I thought someone had to make it, so why not me?” During his career, the 58-year-old Cuzzi has worked
four playoff divisional series and presided over the National League Championship Series in 2005. He also worked the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium in 2008 and was the first base umpire for the firstever game at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009. During his career, Cuzzi has also worked two no-hit games. He was the home plate umpire when Bud Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals fired a nohitter in 2001 and was the third base umpire when Jonathan Sanchez of the San Francisco Giants tossed a no-hitter in 2009. Cuzzi has definitely seen his share of controversy in his career, including a call in the 2009 American League Divisional Series between the Yankees and the Minnesota Twins that Cuzzi received a ton of criticism over. “I don’t read the papers, because you never read anything about me doing a good job,” Cuzzi said. “It’s only when it’s bad. A controversial call is what it is. (Legendary umpire) Al Barlick was the one who gave me my chance and years ago, he said that if you read
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the papers and your feelings are hurt, then you shouldn’t be in the business. So I just don’t read them.” Cuzzi said that the job as a major league umpire gets tougher every day. “With high definition television and instant replay, there is all this scrutiny now,” Cuzzi said. “It makes the job more difficult.” Beginning this season, the role of an umpire will get even harder, because MLB will implement even more instant replay rules. It won’t be just home runs. Other calls regarding fair or foul balls, safe or out calls will be in play. That’s why Cuzzi will head to Phoenix Sunday for the annual meetings to go over rules, as well as the annual physicals. “It’s a blessing,” Cuzzi said. “I consider my job to be a blessing. It never gets old. I’m living a dream.” Cuzzi said that he’s spent the offseason in Nutley doing things around the house. “When the season finishes, you welcome the offseason, because the season is long,” see VIEW page
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