Ли Вейер: Американдық бейсбол төрешісінің өмірі мен мансабы

American baseball umpire (1936 1988)
Lee Howard "Big Lee" Weyer (September 3, 1936 – July 4, 1988) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1961 until his death. In a 1987 Sports Illustrated poll of National League catchers, Weyer was rated the best at calling balls and strikes. He was the home plate umpire on September 11, 1985, in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium when Pete Rose collected his 4,192nd hit to break Ty Cobb's career record, and was the third base umpire in the April 8, 1974 game in which Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record of 714 career home runs.

Born in Imlay City, Michigan, Weyer had a few tryouts for the minor leagues as a player before beginning his umpiring career in 1956 on the advice of NL umpire and local resident Frank Secory. He worked in the Midwest League (1956–57), Southern Association (1958–59) and International League (1960–61), and was first placed under contract with the NL at age 23 in 1959 while he was in the Army. which also took his mother's life; after six months of recuperation he finally made his debut by working a few NL games in September 1961. His ongoing commitment to the U. S. Army Reserve until July 1962 delayed his joining the staff full time for another season; after again umpiring some International League games, he worked some NL games in August 1962, filling in for Chris Pelekoudas, who was recuperating from abdominal surgery, then became a full member of the league staff in 1963 to replace the retired Dusty Boggess. Weyer was widely regarded as having one of the overall largest strike zones in baseball, which was partially attributed to his large size at 6'6"; divorcing approximately ten years later, which he mainly attributed to her difficulty in adjusting to his umpiring career. The split was so amicable, however, she agreed to continue doing his laundry for as long as he lived in Atlanta, which she did even after she remarried.

On July 4, 1988, Weyer suffered a massive heart attack at the San Mateo, California home of fellow umpire Ed Montague, while playing basketball with Montague's children. He was taken by paramedics to Mills Hospital in San Mateo, where he was pronounced dead at age 51. Weyer and Montague, close friends who had partnered on quite a popular amateur magic act, had umpired together in a game between the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs at Candlestick Park earlier that afternoon, with Weyer at first base. Weyer's father had died of a heart attack at age 53, and a brother had died of a heart attack at age 52. At the time of his death Weyer was engaged to be married to Linda Hickey, a resident of Long Island, New York. He was buried in Imlay Cemetery in his hometown.