Steve Cusack

Stephen Patrick Cusack

• Height 6' 2", Weight 230 lb.

• Born September 27, 1876 in Chicago, IL USA
• Died June 16, 1952 in Chicago, IL USA

Biographical Information

Steve Cusack was briefly a National League umpire, in 1909, and also umpired in the inaugural season of the Federal League in 1914.

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Cusack was already past 30 when he first umpired in organized baseball, being hired by the Eastern League in 1907. After a season in the New York State League in 1908, he was in the National League for the start of the 1909 season. His stay was short-lived though, as he umpired his last game on June 24th, having been on the field for 51 games. In early May, he became involved in a serious incident on the field when Cincinnati Reds catcher Frank Roth attacked him after being called out at home on a close play in a game against the Boston Doves. Several other Reds players threatened him with a bat, and things became so bad that National League President John Heydler called a meeting on May 16th to look into ways to give umpires better protection. Not that Cusack normally needed much protection; a huge man, he was bigger than most players of his time.

After he left the National League in mid-season in 1909, Cusack returned to the New York State League. He was in the American Association in 1910, and then in the Three-I League from 1911 to 1913. When the Federal League proclaimed itself a major league in 1914, it looked to hire some men with big league experience to be on its umpiring staff, and Steve was hired by Bill Brennan, the new circuit's umpire-in-chief and himself a veteran of the National League. He spent the entire year in the Federal League, being on the field for 141 games but did not return in 1915. The new league was plagued by umpiring controversies, and only three members of its original staff were retained for the following season. Instead, he went to the Western League. He was hired by the Central League in 1916 but was relieved of his duties that same April, then finished his career with a season in the Northwestern League in 1917. He joined the Chicago Police Department in 1918 and gave up umpiring for good. He died in Chicago in 1952.

Related Sites

• Stephen Cusack on Retrosheet.org
• Sporting News umpire card for Steve Cusack