History of Umpire Schools

1. Early Pathways (Pre-1930s)

Before organized umpire schools existed, most professional umpires learned on the job. Local leagues would hire former players, managers, or community members who showed knowledge of the rules. Training was informal, and advancement depended heavily on word of mouth, performance, and sometimes personal connections. The profession lacked a standardized development system.

2. The First Formal Umpire School (1935)

The first known umpire school was founded in 1935 by former MLB umpire George Barr in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Barr, who worked in the National League, saw a need for structured training to prepare future umpires for the professional ranks. His school was revolutionary, providing classroom study of rules, on-field mechanics, and live game evaluation.

• Notable Impact: Many of the first professionally trained umpires who entered Minor League Baseball came through Barr’s program.

• Legacy: The George Barr Umpire School operated until the early 1960s, establishing the model for all future schools.

3. Expansion Era (1960s–1980s)

By the 1960s, Major League Baseball realized the need for a consistent pipeline of trained umpires. Several former umpires and baseball insiders began schools across Florida and other warm-weather states to train during winter.

• Al Somers Umpire School (1964): Founded by former MLB umpire Al Somers in Daytona Beach, Florida. His school became the most prominent pipeline for MLB candidates throughout the 1960s–70s.

• Bill Kinnamon Umpire School (1970s): Kinnamon, another former MLB umpire, broke off from Somers to create his own school. His program emphasized professional-level mechanics and became highly respected.

• Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School (1977): Wendelstedt, a legendary National League umpire, took over Bill McGowan’s umpire school (originally started in the 1930s by McGowan) and rebranded it under his name. This school still operates today in Florida and is one of the longest-running institutions.

4. The Brinkman & Evans Era (1980s–1990s)

• Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring (1974–2012): Evans, a former American League crew chief, built one of the most respected schools in Kissimmee, FL. His academy emphasized not only mechanics but also professionalism, psychology, and handling game pressure.

• Joe Brinkman Umpire School (1980s–1990s): Brinkman, another MLB veteran, created his own school, which trained hundreds of minor league candidates.

During this period, Florida became the hub of umpire training, with multiple schools running each winter and competing to send students to Minor League Baseball’s Professional Umpire Development (PUD) evaluation course. Only the top graduates were invited to this MLB-run “final exam” camp, where actual assignments to minor league jobs were made.

5. MLB Consolidation (2000s–2020)

By the early 2000s, MLB sought to streamline training and scouting:

• Only two schools remained “approved” by Minor League Baseball:

  1. Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School (Ormond Beach, FL)

  2. Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring (Kissimmee, FL)
     

  3. Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy ( Vero Beach ,FL 

Top students, usaully the top 20 (depending on minor leagues needs) would be invited to attend the PBUC evaluation course- held in Coco Beach and then subsequently held in Vero Beach. 

Additionally, MLB Umpire Camps and free regional clinics have been created in the last 15 years to broaden access. These are short-term training sessions (often free) aimed at scouting new talent without the full cost of a 5-week Florida school.

6. Current Pathway (2020s)

• MLB Umpire One Day Umpire Camp : Runs short “camps” across the U.S. for recruitment. Top students from the one day camp are now selected to attend the 4 week  MLB Umpire Prospect Development Camp at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach,