(AP) NEW YORK — Don Denkinger was a major league umpire for three decades,
but his stellar career was overshadowed by a blown call in the 1985 World Series. He passed away on Friday. He was 86.
One of his three daughters, Denise Hanson, reported that Denkinger passed away at Cedar Valley Hospice in Waterloo, Iowa.
In 1969, Denkinger started working for the American League.
Over the course of his three decades in the major leagues, he worked four World Series,
although he is best known for a bad mistake.In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6,
St. Louis was leading Kansas City 3-2 in the Series and was three outs away from winning when pinch-hitter Jorge Orta led off with a lazy bouncer to the right side.
As reliever Todd Worrell covered the bag, first baseman Jack Clark threw a sidearm throw to him while he was in position to field the ball.