Art Passarella

Arthur Matthew Passarella

• Height 5' 11", Weight 196 lb.

• Born December 23, 1909 in Rochester, NY USA
• Died October 12, 1981 in Hemet, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Art Passarella was an umpire who became an actor. Passarella spent several years as a minor league and semi-pro player.

Beginning his umpiring career in the Cotton States League in 1937, Passarella moved to the Texas League in 1938-1940. He became a major league umpire in the American League in 1941. After the 1942 season, he was the first arbiter called into War service, when he entered the Army in April 1943. Passarella was discharged in December 1944 and returned to the field in 1945. It was in 1945, when Passarella worked his first of three World Series. Passarella continued his career in the American League through 1953.

After his career, he was the umpire on the program Home Run Derby. He was also an actor. His most famous role was as Sergeant Sekuvolich in The Streets of San Francisco, but he also appeared in Damn Yankees and Judgment at Nuremberg. Passarella died of a heart attack in 1981.

Further Reading

• Rob Edelman: "Art Passarella", in Bill Nowlin, ed.: Van Lingle Mungo: The Man, The Song, The Players, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2014, pp. 162-170. ISBN 978-1-933599-76-2

Related Sites

• Art Passarella at the SABR Bio Project
• Art Passarella on Retrosheet.org
• Sporting News umpire card