Italian American Umpire; Dick Stello (1968-1988)
Richard Jack Stello was born on July 20, 1934 in Massachusetts. He was raised in an orphanage & then on a New England farm, with afmily whom beacme his own. He later attended Merimack college, and began his career as a stand up night club comic. He went into the Air Force and was stationed in Toyko, Japan in the 1950’s. It was there he became interested in umpiring & enrolled in George Barr umpire school. In the early to mid sixties he umped in the Florida State League, Texas League & then the International League. He was promoted to the National League in 1968, the Year of the Pitcher. Stello was the second base umpire when Lou Brock broke Maury Wills single season stolen base record in 1974. He got to Umpire the classic 1975 World Series between the Red Sox & the Reds, taking the home plate duties for Game #4 in Cincinnati. In 1981 he umpired his next World Series, and was behind the plate for Game #6 as the Dodgers beat the A.L. New York team. Stello also worked two...