Johnny James (umpire)

John F. James

Johnny James served as a replacement umpire in the American League in both 1978 and 1979, when the regular umpires were on strike. He worked one game on August 25, 1978, when the umpires staged a one-day strike to have their union recognized as an official bargaining unit, and another one four days later alongside fellow replacement umpire Mike Thompson, who had also worked the August 25th game, and two regular umpires - Rich Garcia and Durwood Merrill. He then worked another 17 games at the start of the following season when the same umpires went on a longer strike in a bid to improve their working conditions. His 18 games make him one of the most active of the umpires to have worked in the majors in these circumstances, alongside Thompson who also worked 18 games.

Related Sites

• Johnny James at Retrosheet.org