Card #226 - Frank Secory: Umpire

Let's take a look at the first card in my 1955 collection that deals with the most controversial inclusion: the umpires. Now, 1955 Bowman was not the first set to ever include umpire cards, but it was the only one in what's considered the modern card era. There were 31 umpire cards in the set. I think the fact that they don't put umpire cards in sets anymore tells you just how popular these cards were. 

Secory was a major league baseball player before he became an umpire. He spent 1 game with the Detroit Tigers in 1940 and 2 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1942. He did not register a single hit in his 9 plate appearances during those two stints.

In 1943 he joined the Chicago Cubs where he was largely a pinch hitter for the next 3 seasons. In 3 seasons with the Cubs he played in 90 games and had 156 at bats. He was a .237 hitter for his career. 

After his playing career, he became an umpire in the West-Texas League from 1948 until 1952 when his contract was bought by the Major Leagues. From 1952 until 1970, he was a National League umpire that worked four World Series' (crew chief in 1964). He also was an umpire during 6 All-Star Games.

Not a whole lot to say about the back of the card. No funny anecdotes or anything. Maybe that's why these cards didn't find favor in the hobby.

That's not to say Secory wasn't part of some historic moments. During his playing career, he scored the winning run in Game 6 of the 1945 World Series (sadly, the Cubs lost the series in 7 games). As an umpire, he was on 2nd base during what has been called the "Greatest pitching performance ever" when Harvey Haddix threw a perfect game for 12 innings, unfortunately giving up a run in the 13th and losing the game. I read once that a player on the other team admitted that they were stealing his signs the entire game, they just couldn't hit him. 

He was also on 2nd during Jim Bunning's perfect game in 1964, the first since 1922. He was on the field for 9 no-hitters in his career including the very first "combined" (multiple pitchers) no-hitter thrown by the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. 

I couldn't find much information about what he did after retiring in 1970. I do know he lived in Port Huron, Michigan (a town I coincidentally love visiting). He passed away in 1995 at the age of 82.

He is buried next to his wife Vonda in Armada, Michigan at Willow Grove Cemetery. They have an unmistakable headstone (picture borrowed from his Findagrave page).