Lee Weyer

Lee Howard "Big Lee" Weyer (September 3, 1936 – July 4, 1988) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1961 until his death. In a 1987 Sports Illustrated poll of National League catchers, Weyer was rated the best at calling balls and strikes. He was the home plate umpire on September 11, 1985 in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium when Pete Rose collected his 4,192nd hit to break Ty Cobb's career record, and was the third base umpire in the April 8, 1974 game in which Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record of 714 career home runs.

Born in Imlay City, Michigan, Weyer had a few tryouts for the minor leagues as a player before beginning his umpiring career in 1956 on the advice of NL umpire and local resident Frank Secory. He worked in the Midwest League (1956–57), Southern Association (1958–59) and International League (1960–61), and was first placed under contract with the NL at age 23 in 1959 while he was in the Army. He was scheduled to join the league's regular staff for the 1961 season, to help prepare for the league's expansion from eight teams to ten the following year, until a February car accident which also took his mother's life; after six months of recuperation he finally made his debut by working a few NL games in September 1961. His ongoing commitment to the Army Reserves until July 1962 delayed his joining the staff full-time for another season; after again umpiring some International League games, he worked some NL games in August 1962, filling in for Chris Pelekoudas, who was recuperating from surgery, and then became a full member of the league staff in 1963 to replace the retired Dusty Boggess.

...
Wikipedia