Rich Garcia

Richard Raul Garcia (born May 22, 1942) is a former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League (AL) from 1975 to 1999. Garcia wore uniform number 19 when the AL adopted numbers for its umpires in 1980.

After graduating from his hometown's Key West High School in 1960, Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps as a combat engineer until 1964. Stationed in Okinawa and North Carolina during his tour of duty, he also played on the Marine Corps baseball team for three years.

He completed his training from MLB's Umpire Specialization Course in 1970. He progressed up the minor leagues, starting with the Florida State League in 1970 and 1971, followed by the Southern League in 1972 and the International League in 1973 and 1974. During those five years he worked during the offseason in the Florida Instructional League (1970–1971, 1973–1974) and the Dominican Winter Baseball League (1972–1973).

Garcia was hired by the American League in 1975, working at third base in his major league debut in the Minnesota Twins' season-opening 11–4 victory over the Texas Rangers at Arlington Stadium on April 8. His first assignment behind the plate was the Rangers' 7–5 loss to the defending World Series Champion Oakland Athletics in the same ballpark three nights later on April 11.