22 years. Barlick scouted many umpires who wound up having long careers, and was, according to Bruce Froemming, “very proud of the staff he built.” Sportswriter Jerome Holtzman wrote that Barlick was outspoken when defending the league's umpires to NL president Warren Giles and baseball commissioner Ford Frick. When the umpires went on strike at the conclusion of the 1984 regular season, Barlick and fellow supervisor Ed Vargo were located in the dugouts during the playoffs to assist the replacement umpires with questions over rules. Later life In 1989, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Manager Leo Durocher and umpire Bill McGowan were also considered by the committee that year, but the group could only vote in one non-player per year. Barlick had been under consideration by the committee for several years before his election. In his induction speech, Barlick said, "My dreams are fulfilled far beyond my expectations." Barlick wore uniform number 1 when the NL adopted them for its umpires in 1970; however, the league retired number 3 in Barlick's honor after his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. On December 27, 1995, Barlick collapsed at his home. He was taken to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, where he died. A wife, Jennie, and two children survived him. Barlick was cremated. In 2013, the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award honored Barlick as one of 37 Baseball Hall of Fame members for his service in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. See also List of Major League Baseball umpires References External links Retrosheet Al Barlick Oral History Interview (2 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection Al Barlick Oral History Interview (1 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection 1915 births 1995 deaths National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Barlick, Al Sportspeople from Springfield, Illinois Major League Baseball umpires United States Coast Guard enlisted