Al Barlick
Hall of Famers at War
| Date and Place of Birth: | April 2, 1915 Springfield, IL |
| Date and Place of Death: | December 27, 1995 Springfield, IL |
| Baseball Experience: | Hall of Fame |
| Position: | Umpire |
| Rank: | Seaman First Class |
| Military Unit: | US Coast Guard |
| Area Served: | United States |
Albert J. "Al" Barlick, one of six children, was born on April 2,
1915 in Springfield, Illinois. Like his father, Barlick worked the coal
mines, but he began umpiring sandlot games during a strike to pick up
extra money.
Barlick began his professional umpiring career in the Northeast Arkansas
League in 1936. He worked the Piedmont League in 1937 and 1938, and the
Eastern League in 1939. He moved up to the International League in June
1939 and made it to the major leagues as a National League umpire in the
fall of 1940.
On November 5, 1943, Barlick entered service with the Coast Guard. He
was assigned to an 83-foot cutter based at the training station at the
Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Seaman First Class
Barlick returned to umpiring in 1946.
With a booming voice, decisive hand signals, and an excellent knowledge
of the rules, Barlick served the National League for the next four
decades. He umpired seven all-star games and seven World Series.
He retired in 1972 after 33 years and was inducted into the Baseball
Hall of Fame in 1989.
Barlick served as a National League consultant form 1972 to 1994. In May
1995, his uniform No 3, was retired at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Al Barlick passed away at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield,
Illinois on December 27, 1995. He was 80.
“He was a great umpire who controlled the game," said Jim Piersall. "He
was very well respected. They broke the mold when they made Al.”
Date Added June 8, 2020
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