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Line 1: {{short description\|American baseball umpire (1918-1984)}} '''Christos George Pelekoudas''' (January 23, 1918 – November 30, 1984) was an American [[umpire (baseball)\|umpire]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who worked in the [[National League]] from 1960 to 1975.▼ {{Infobox person \| name = Chris Pelekoudas \| image = Chris_Pelekoudas.jpg \| image_size = \| alt = \| caption = \| birth_name = \| birth_date = {{birth date\|1918\|1\|23}} \| birth_place = [[Chicago\|Chicago, Illinois]], US \| death_date = {{death date and age\|1984\|11\|30\|1918\|1\|23}} \| death_place = [[Sunnyvale, California]], US \| death_cause = \| resting_place = <!--unknown--> \| education = \| alma_mater = \| employer = [[Major League Baseball]] \| notable works = \| occupation = [[Umpire (baseball)\|Umpire]] \| years_active = 1960–1975 }} ▲'''Christos George Pelekoudas''' (January 23, 1918 – November 30, 1984) was an American [[umpire (baseball)\|umpire]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who worked in the [[National League (baseball)\|National League]] from 1960 to 1975. == Early life == Born in [[Chicago]] into a family of 14 children,<ref>''National League 1968 Green Book'', p. 26.</ref> Pelekoudas graduated from [[Crane High School (Illinois)\|Crane Tech High School]]. He had an unsuccessful tryout with the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] as a player in 1934. He began umpiring while serving as an [[United States Army\|Army]] [[United States Special Operations Forces\|Special Services]] officer during World War II, and eventually worked his way up to the NL after stops in the [[Eastern Shore Baseball League\|Eastern Shore]] (1948), [[Interstate League\|Interstate]] (1949), [[Western League (defunct minor league)\|Western]] (1950–52) and [[Pacific Coast League]]s (1953–59).<ref name=obit>{{cite news \|title=Obituaries \|work=[[The Sporting News]] \|page=43 \|date=1985-01-07}}</ref> He worked in the [[World Series]] in [[1966 World Series\|1966]] and [[1972 World Series\|1972]], serving as crew chief the second time, and in the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game\|All-Star Game]] in 1961 (second game), 1967 and 1975. He also officiated in the [[National League Championship Series]] in [[1969 National League Championship Series\|1969]] and [[1973 National League Championship Series\|1973]]. He is perhaps best remembered for ordering an apparent [[Hank Aaron]] [[home run]] nullified on August 18, 1965 because Aaron stepped out of the batter's box when he made contact; the umpire had warned Aaron on the previous two pitches.<ref name=obit/> As a result, Aaron's home run record eventually stood at 755, instead of 756. Born in [[Chicago]] into a family of 14 children,<ref>''National League 1968 Green Book'', p. 26.</ref> Pelekoudas graduated from [[Crane High School (Illinois)\|Crane Tech High School]]. He had an unsuccessful tryout with the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] as a player in 1934. == Umpiring career == Pelekoudas was also the first umpire to eject [[Gaylord Perry]] from a game for using an illegal greasy substance on the ball. He was the home plate umpire when [[Willie Mays]] hit [[MLB hitters with four home runs in one game\|four home runs]] on April 30, 1961.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Dittmar\|first=Joseph J.\|title=Baseball's Benchmark Boxscores\|year=1990\|publisher=McFarland & Co.\|location=Jefferson, North Carolina\|isbn= 0-89950-488-4\|pages=132–34}}</ref> He was the third base umpire when [[Sandy Koufax]] pitched his second [[no-hitter]] on May 11, 1963,<ref>{{cite book \|last=Coberly \|first=Rich \|title=The No-Hit Hall of Fame: No-Hitters of the 20th Century \|year=1985 \|publisher=Triple Play \|location=Newport Beach, California \|isbn=0-934289-00-X \|page=122}}</ref> and was the first base umpire for Koufax's [[perfect game]] on September 9, 1965.<ref>Coberly, p. 131.</ref> Pelekoudas umpired in six no-hitters in all, but was never behind the plate for one. He was also an umpire for the first game ever held at [[Shea Stadium]] on April 4, 1964. Pelekoudas began umpiring while serving as an [[United States Army\|Army]] [[United States Special Operations Forces\|Special Services]] officer during World War II, and eventually worked his way up to the [[National League (baseball)\|National League]] after stops in the [[Eastern Shore Baseball League\|Eastern Shore]] (1948), [[Interstate League\|Interstate]] (1949), [[Western League (1900–1958)\|Western]] (1950–1952) and [[Pacific Coast League]]s (1953–1959).<ref name=obit>{{cite news \|title=Obituaries \|work=[[The Sporting News]] \|page=43 \|date=1985-01-07}}</ref> Pelekoudas worked in the [[World Series]] in [[1966 World Series\|1966]] and [[1972 World Series\|1972]], serving as crew chief the second time, and in the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game\|All-Star Game]] in 1961 (second game), 1967 and 1975. He also officiated in the [[National League Championship Series]] in [[1969 National League Championship Series\|1969]] and [[1973 National League Championship Series\|1973]]. Pelekoudas umpired in a total of six [[no-hitter]]s, although was not behind the plate for any of them. Pelekoudas, who lived in [[Sunnyvale, California]] for most of his career, died there of heart failure at age 66, three weeks after suffering a [[stroke]].<ref name=obit/> He had married Jane Papangellin on April 28, 1946, and they had a daughter and a son;<ref>''1975 National League Green Book'', p. 33.</ref> his brother Perry was also an umpire, working in the minor leagues, and his son [[Lee Pelekoudas\|Lee]] worked in the [[Seattle Mariners]] organization for 30 years.<ref name=obit/> In the 1998 book ''Baseball's Golden Greeks'' by Diamantis Zervos, [[Jim Campanis]] describes a Greek moment in baseball when he was batting against [[Cincinnati Reds]] pitcher [[Milt Pappas]], with [[Alex Grammas]] the third base coach and Pelekoudas calling balls and strikes behind the plate. In the 1998 book ''Baseball's Golden Greeks'' by Diamantis Zervos, [[Jim Campanis]] describes a "Greek moment" in baseball when he was batting against [[Cincinnati Reds]] pitcher [[Milt Pappas]], with [[Alex Grammas]] the third base coach and Pelekoudas calling balls and strikes behind the plate. Pelekoudas was forced to retire after the {{mlby\|1975}} season, due to then-limits that Major League Baseball had on umpires' ages.<ref>{{cite news \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56206804/pelekoudas-still-hooked-on-boooos/ \|title=Pelekoudas still hooked on 'Boooos' \|first=Ward \|last=Bushee \|newspaper=[[The Salinas Californian]] \|location=[[Salinas, California]] \|page=12 \|date=July 23, 1977 \|accessdate=July 27, 2020 \|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> ===Notable games=== Pelekoudas was the home plate umpire when [[Willie Mays]] hit [[MLB hitters with four home runs in one game\|four home runs]] on April 30, 1961.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Dittmar\|first=Joseph J.\|title=Baseball's Benchmark Boxscores\|year=1990\|publisher=McFarland & Co.\|location=Jefferson, North Carolina\|isbn= 0-89950-488-4\|pages=132–34}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1961/B04300MLN1961.htm \|title=San Francisco Giants 14, Milwaukee Braves 4 \|website=[[Retrosheet]] \|date=April 30, 1961 \|accessdate=July 27, 2020}}</ref> He was the third base umpire when [[Sandy Koufax]] pitched his second no-hitter on May 11, 1963,<ref>{{cite book \|last=Coberly \|first=Rich \|title=The No-Hit Hall of Fame: No-Hitters of the 20th Century \|year=1985 \|publisher=Triple Play \|location=Newport Beach, California \|isbn=0-934289-00-X \|page=[https://archive.org/details/nohithalloffamen0000cobe/page/122 122] \|url-access=registration \|url=https://archive.org/details/nohithalloffamen0000cobe/page/122 }}</ref> and was the first base umpire for Koufax's [[Perfect game (baseball)\|perfect game]] on September 9, 1965.<ref>Coberly, p. 131.</ref> He was the third base umpire for the first game ever held at [[Shea Stadium]], played on April 17, 1964.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B04170NYN1964.htm \|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 4, New York Mets 3 \|website=[[Retrosheet]] \|date=April 17, 1964 \|accessdate=July 27, 2020}}</ref> Pelekoudas is perhaps best remembered for ordering an apparent [[Hank Aaron]] [[home run]] nullified on August 18, 1965, because Aaron stepped out of the [[batter's box]] when he made contact;<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1965/B08180SLN1965.htm \|title=Milwaukee Braves 5, St. Louis Cardinals 3 \|website=[[Retrosheet]] \|date=August 18, 1965 \|accessdate=July 27, 2020}}</ref> the umpire had warned Aaron on the previous two pitches.<ref name=obit/> == Personal life == Pelekoudas married Jane Papangellin on April 28, 1946, and they had a daughter and a son.<ref>''1975 National League Green Book'', p. 33.</ref> His brother Perry was also an umpire, working in the minor leagues. His son [[Lee Pelekoudas]] worked in the [[Seattle Mariners]] organization for 30 years, first as the traveling secretary and lastly as interim general manager.<ref name="obit" /> Pelekoudas, who lived in [[Sunnyvale, California]], for most of his career, died there due to heart failure at age 66, three weeks after suffering a [[stroke]].<ref name="obit" /><ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-interim-gm-lee-pelekoudas-a-life-in-baseball/\|title=Mariners' interim GM Lee Pelekoudas: A life in baseball\|date=2008-06-27\|work=The Seattle Times\|access-date=2018-06-14\|language=en-US}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist\|30em}} ==Further reading== [https://web.archive.org/web/20051119044602/http://www.wilcoxusa.net~~:80~~/aegean/bookreviews.htm Baseball's Golden Greeks]▼ ==External links== [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/P/Ppelec901.htm Umpiring statistics] at [[Retrosheet]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20060824230916/http://www.baseballlibrary.com:80/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/P/Pelekoudas_Chris.stm BaseballLibrary] ▲[https://web.archive.org/web/20051119044602/http://www.wilcoxusa.net:80/aegean/bookreviews.htm Baseball's Golden Greeks] {{DEFAULTSORT:Pelekoudas, Chris}} Line 19 ⟶ 61: [[Category:1984 deaths]] [[Category:American people of Greek descent]] [[Category:United States Army ~~soldiers~~personnel of World War II]] ~~[[Category:American military personnel of World War II]]~~ [[Category:Sportspeople from Chicago]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Sunnyvale, California]] [[Category:Major League Baseball umpires]] [[Category:National League umpires]] [[Category:Crane High School (Chicago) alumni]]