The role of a professional baseball umpire is one that requires quick thinking, common sense, and trust. Referees must be able to evaluate a situation and make a decision in a matter of seconds. To be successful, they must have a thorough knowledge of the rules, be even-tempered, and have the mental strength to handle stressful situations. Professional referees are also expected to make an effort, be alert, and have excellent physical condition and a tidy appearance. In 1970, the National League added a patch with the league logo on the chest pocket and the referee's number on the right sleeve of the jacket.
In 2000, the American League and National League referee teams merged into a unified team under the auspices of Major League Baseball, and all numbers became available, including numbers removed by one of the leagues. In recent years, the best AAA candidates have had to referee in the Arizona Fall League in order to receive extensive training and evaluation by Major League Baseball staff. Once you start officiating games, you'll gain a whole new perspective on the role that referees play in the minor league experience. As Jerome Holtzman pointed out in an article from that year: “Many players and coaches refer to Harvey as 'God,' because in 22 years in the National League, he still hasn't made the wrong decision.”For many decades, there was no difference between the uniforms of the referees of the two major leagues, except that the referees of the National League adopted an inner chest protector that was worn under the suit, while the referees of the American League wore an outer protector (or balloon) over their suits when they threw balls and hit home plate. During MLB referee development camp, Major League Baseball's referee development staff evaluates each referee's performance and skills. However, there are significant differences between the rules of federations and those of Major League Baseball (MLB) and NCAA regulations.
The National League adopted the same uniform as the American League when it became a major league in 1901. There are numerous organizations that test or train anyone interested in refereeing for local leagues and can help establish connections with local leagues. Starting in 2000, after referees from individual leagues were consolidated into a single team, uniform styles from 1996-99 were carried over with MLB logos on caps instead of league designations. At El Centro, Harold refereed industrial and high school league games when he wasn't working at Camp Lockett. In Canada, most arbitrators are certified by a provincial organization and are then hired by local municipal associations through a chief referee. The professional referee season normally runs from spring training in March to the end of the regular season which is mid-September for minor league referees and October for major league referees. During his second year in the California League, Harvey met Joy Ann Glascock, a college student who worked at the Bakersfield baseball stadium. The National League's numbering practice changed again in mid-1980s when new referees were assigned numbers they used before (for example, in 1982 Gerry Davis was assigned number 12 which was formerly worn by Andy Olsen and in 1985 Tom Hallion was assigned number 20 which was formerly worn by Ed Vargo).
