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Babe Pinelli broke in as a National League umpire in 1935. His start in big league baseball coincided with the Babe Ruth’s final season, his only one in the Senior Circuit. In an article Pinelli wrote for The Second Fireside Book of Baseball titled, “Kill the Umpire? Don’t Make Me Laugh!” he recounted an interaction between the two Babes.

As the young buck on the NL staff, Pinelli was told never to make a called strike on Ruth out of respect for Babe and his place in the game’s history. Despite the advice, Pinelli couldn’t bring himself to call a pitch in the strike zone a ball.

As luck would have it, Pinelli’s first big league game behind the plate came on April 19th with Ruth’s Boston Braves hosting the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the bottom of the first inning, Ruth came up facing Brooklyn right-hander Johnny Babich.

Unwavering in his commitment to his craft, Pinelli stayed true to calling ’em like he sees ’em. With two strikes, Ruth watched a Babich pitch travel directly through the strike zone. Pinelli emphatically rung up legendary player to end the inning. The 40-year old Bambino turned to the rookie umpire two years his junior and barked, “There’s forty thousand people in this park that know that was a ball, tomato-head!”

Pinelli was unmoved. The umpire replied coolly, “Perhaps—but mine is the only opinion that counts.”

Such was Pinelli’s introduction as a home plate umpire.

Shown here is a photo of the Sultan of Swat signed in 1948.

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Babe Pinelli made his big league debut in 1918 as a third baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Pinelli would play until 1927, also suiting up for the Tigers and Reds. It wasn’t until eight years after his playing career ended that Pinelli began as a National League umpire, a position he held from 1935-1956.

An arbiter in six World Series – the last two he was crew chief – Pinelli also officiated four All Star games.

The umpire is best remembered today for his work behind home plate in Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series. That contest was his last calling balls and strikes, though he worked the field for the remainder of the Series.

Pinelli’s most famous call was the last pitch of Larsen’s perfecto, a called strike three on pinch hitter Dale Mitchell. Thought by many to be far outside the strike zone, Pinelli called strike three to Mitchell, a man with one of the keenest batting eyes on the history of the game. Indeed, Mitchell’s 2.91 walk-to-strikeout ratio remains the 8th best in the game’s history.

In the collection is this index card signed by Pinelli with the following notation:

“Best Wishes

Babe Pinelli

Chief Umpire

Don Larsen – Perfect Game

1956 World Series

Yankees 2 – Dodgers 0”

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Babe Pinelli’s last career call as a home plate umpire completed Don Larsen’s perfect game. That call was a pitch many consider to be outside the strike zone. The only person who’s opinion mattered was Pinelli.

The batter was former Indians great Dale Mitchell. One of the toughest men in baseball history to strike out, Mitchell struck out only 346 times in 4,358 plate appearances. His 2.91 walk-to-strikeout ration is the 8th best in Major League history.

A skilled hitter beyond his keen batting eye, Mitchell batted over .300 in 7 seasons. In fact, only Ted Williams and Stan Musial hit for a higher average between 1943-1960.

The Dodgers purchased Mitchell’s contract from Cleveland at the end of July to bolster their bench for their post-season run. As Larsen had the Dodgers down to their last out, Brooklyn skipper Walter Alston turned to Mitchell.

Larsen, perhaps with help from Pinelli, struck out Mitchell to end the game and propel Larsen to baseball immortality.

In the collection is this government postcard signed by Mitchell. The post mark of August 20, 1948 in Cleveland lends context to the piece. That day Mitchell’s Indians blanked the White Sox 1-0 behind Satchell Paige’s second career big league shutout, a three-hit masterpiece. Mitchell went 2-for-4 that day on his way to a career-high .336 average on the season.

While Mitchell autographs are by no means scarce, cards like this signed and postmarked from the 1940s remain attractive to collectors. More on Dale Mitchell and the card can be found by clicking here.