Dana DeMuth

Dana Andrew DeMuth

• Height 6' 0", Weight 230 lbs.

• Born May 30, 1956 in Fremont, OH USA

Biographical Information

Dana DeMuth was a big league umpire from 1983, when he worked his first National League game, until 2017. After missing the 2018 season, he returned in 2019 but his season ended in mid-July when he had to leave a game after taking a foul ball on the arm on July 12th and did not return that season. He announced his retirement at the end of the year. He was a crew chief for a number of seasons. He worked five World Series, in 1993, 1998, 2001, 2009 and 2013.

While working the 2013 World Series, he was involved in two game-turning plays. In Game 1, he originally called Boston Red Sox baserunner Dustin Pedroia out at second base in the 1st inning when St. Louis Cardinals SS Pete Kozma dropped the ball while trying to turn a double play; Red Sox manager John Farrell protested, DeMuth conferred with his colleagues and reversed the call, calling Pedroia safe and the Red Sox went on to score three runs. In Game 3, he was working home plate when Allen Craig attempted to score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning; the throw from LF Daniel Nava apparently retired Craig, but DeMuth called him safe, pointing out that third base umpire Jim Joyce had called obstruction on 3B Will Middlebrooks. The call ended the game in St. Louis' favor, and while uncommon, was solidly rooted in the rules, earning praise from most independent observers.

Related Sites

• Dana DeMuth at Retrosheet.org
• Sporting News umpire card