Lenny Roberts

Leonard Wyatt Roberts

• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.

• Born September 18, 1922 in Price, NC USA
• Died February 10, 2008 in Dallas, TX USA

Biographical Information

Lenny Roberts worked as an umpire in the National League during the second half of the 1953 season, for a total of 72 games. For someone who was not in the majors for long, he racked up a lot of ejections, 7 in his half season.

After attending George Barr's umpiring school, he began working in the KOM League in 1949 and 1950. Roberts was the only KOM League umpire to appear in the major leagues. Ed Vargo was a major league umpire but his affiliation with the KOM League was as a catcher with the 1947 Carthage Cardinals. Partway through the 1950 season, he moved up to the West Texas-New Mexico League, staying until the end of the 1951 season. In 1952 and for the start of 1953, he was in the Texas League. After his stint in the NL, he was in the American Association in 1954, moved back to the West Texas-New Mexico League in 1955, was in the International League in 1956. He was in the Big State League in 1957, the Texas League in 1958, then after not working in 1959 and 1960, returned there in 1961 for a brief stint.

He served in the United States Navy during World War II. Roberts met his wife of 54 years, Beverly, while umpiring in the WTNM League, where she worked. They had one son, Richard Wyatt Roberts.

Related Sites

• Lenny Roberts at Retrosheet.org
• Sporting News umpire card