Joe West To Break Record For Most Games As Ump

Joe West is set to break the record for most games as a major league umpire with No. 5,376 when he works the Cardinals-White Sox matchup in Chicago. Now 68, West started out in 1976 -- the first time he worked the plate, knuckleballing Hall of Famer Phil Niekro was throwing to Braves catcher Dale Murphy. West will break the mark set by Bill Klem, who worked from 1905-41. A college quarterback who led Elon to the NAIA championship game in 1973, West became the best-known ump in the bigs, drawing plenty of praise and criticism over the decades.