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The Umpire Strikes Back
Book by Luciano, Ron
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1982
31 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Ron Luciano
7 books3 followersRonald Michael Luciano was an American Major League Baseball umpire from 1969 to 1979 in the American League. He was known for his flamboyant style, clever aphorisms, and a series of published collections of anecdotes from his colorful career. (wikipedia entry)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 29, 2025
This is, hands down, the funniest baseball book written! I can't recall any other book in which I had to stop reading every page or two to wipe my eyes, I had been laughing so hard.
I really don't know if Luciano was an umpire first, or a comedian. He probably was better at being the latter. I'm sure a lot of managers, led by Baltimore's Earl Weaver, would agree with that...but Luciano knew his baseball, was a decent ump and brought entertainment to the sport like nobody before or since. Name one other umpire who brought laughs and fun to the park like Luciano? Nobody...and he's missed.
This is one of the fastest reads you'll ever get in a book and baseball fans, in particular, should really love reading this, especially if you watched baseball in the era Luciano umpired. I did a book report on this one when I was a sophomore in high school. My English teacher thought I was silly for choosing this one, but the book inspired my love of baseball books and has kept me reading them for a generation.
Rest easy, Ron.
I really don't know if Luciano was an umpire first, or a comedian. He probably was better at being the latter. I'm sure a lot of managers, led by Baltimore's Earl Weaver, would agree with that...but Luciano knew his baseball, was a decent ump and brought entertainment to the sport like nobody before or since. Name one other umpire who brought laughs and fun to the park like Luciano? Nobody...and he's missed.
This is one of the fastest reads you'll ever get in a book and baseball fans, in particular, should really love reading this, especially if you watched baseball in the era Luciano umpired. I did a book report on this one when I was a sophomore in high school. My English teacher thought I was silly for choosing this one, but the book inspired my love of baseball books and has kept me reading them for a generation.
Rest easy, Ron.
February 19, 2024
Collected anecdotes, roughly in timeline order, from former Major League umpire Ron Luciano. Definitely one of the more noticeable characters to every adjudicate an MLB game.
Chapters on the Minors, the Majors, and the job (Life Behind the Plate) are followed by chapters on Pitchers, Hitters, Fielders, and Managers. Short chapters follow on Umpires and Broadcasters, to round out the book. Primarily anecdotes, and fairly comparable to Ball Four. Not as good as the Roger Angell books.
According to the paperback in hand, this spent 18 weeks as a New York Times bestseller! Probably because of this encouragement, Ron went on to write two more books. This book is good, but not great - I'll rate it at 3.5 stars out of 5.
Co-author Dave Fisher is credited and sparsely described as having worked in the Commisioner's office. It also states he wrote The War Magician: Based on an Extraordinary True Story, which I am now adding to my reading list.
Chapters on the Minors, the Majors, and the job (Life Behind the Plate) are followed by chapters on Pitchers, Hitters, Fielders, and Managers. Short chapters follow on Umpires and Broadcasters, to round out the book. Primarily anecdotes, and fairly comparable to Ball Four. Not as good as the Roger Angell books.
According to the paperback in hand, this spent 18 weeks as a New York Times bestseller! Probably because of this encouragement, Ron went on to write two more books. This book is good, but not great - I'll rate it at 3.5 stars out of 5.
Co-author Dave Fisher is credited and sparsely described as having worked in the Commisioner's office. It also states he wrote The War Magician: Based on an Extraordinary True Story, which I am now adding to my reading list.
August 1, 2015
I read this at a young age, and maybe it's nostalgia speaking, but I would list him among the best American humorists that I have read. He draws sharp, yet compassionate caricatures of Earl Weaver, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Nolan Ryan, and dozens of other hall-of-famers. His musings about the lonely life of a Major League umpire are amplified by the knowledge that he committed suicide in the mid-1990s. I am hoping that someone out there is writing a screenplay about Luciano's life and death because it would make a great film.
January 21, 2024
Really enjoyed this rambling look at umpire Ron Luciano's career in the major leagues. He talks about getting into his career from a failed NFL stint. Also talks about some of his relationships with players and his great feud with manager Earl Weaver. It's a very humorous book from one of the more flamboyant umps to ever be in MLB. Also talks about how he stumbled into a broadcasting career.
Highly recommended, again it's funny and has several laugh out loud moments, with some great looks at some baseball legends.
Highly recommended, again it's funny and has several laugh out loud moments, with some great looks at some baseball legends.
July 22, 2018
I read this several years ago and it was just pure fun, as I recall!!!
January 17, 2026
Having read this about 40 years ago, I remember little about it except that it was entertaining and humorous. I also recall the humorous accounts of Luciano’s long-running (but ultimately mutually affectionate) feud with Orioles manager Earl Warren. Thinking of it gives me nostalgic memories of my dad, a big sports fan (especially baseball), who had this on his bookshelves at home. I was a big baseball history fan from my earliest years.
This is the 102nd pre-2000 book that I have recalled. Minutes after I recalled Jim Bouton’s Ball Four, I remembered this book, which I read during the same period of my life, so my reviews of the two books are very similar.
As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished” may be several years off.
This is the 102nd pre-2000 book that I have recalled. Minutes after I recalled Jim Bouton’s Ball Four, I remembered this book, which I read during the same period of my life, so my reviews of the two books are very similar.
As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished” may be several years off.
November 29, 2025
I first saw this book in the store in 1983 when I was 12 and thought it would be fascinating to read, but I didn't have enough money to buy it that day and the next time I made it into that store it was gone. Despite the passage of 42 years, it was always on my bucket list of must read baseball books. The manager of the local used book store mentioned that a copy just came in and he set it aside in case I wanted it. I jumped at the chance before I could take it outoutoutout.
Perhaps it was best that I waited until my mid-50s to read this classic because it made me appreciate it that much more. As a 12-year old, I don't think I would have quite understood all the nuances of the game that Ron writes about. As an adult, I grow to appreciate the stories and the truths.
And there are truths in this book. Luciano tells it like it is in a no nonsense but humorous sort of way. Sometimes he's the hero, sometimes he's the goat, but that's what makes him real. We see his arguments with Earl Weaver. We hear his trepidation for going on camera for NBC as a color commentator. We picture the interactions that he has with players and fans. In other words, he's relatable. If you grew up watching baseball in the 1960s and 1970s, you'll remember a lot of the players and managers that he interacts with. His book has an amazing supporting cast.
While certainly Ron Luciano, an umpire who became entertaining and notable in his own right for inserting himself into the game more, certainly wasn't everybody's cup of tea in a game filled with rich traditions and tons of unwritten rules. But he sure left us with an entertaining book filled with a lot of anecdotes of some of the baseball heroes of Baby Boomer and Gen X fans from their childhood. The nostalgia and the inside baseball is worth five-stars even if the game has changed drastically since he retired. Well worth the read.
Perhaps it was best that I waited until my mid-50s to read this classic because it made me appreciate it that much more. As a 12-year old, I don't think I would have quite understood all the nuances of the game that Ron writes about. As an adult, I grow to appreciate the stories and the truths.
And there are truths in this book. Luciano tells it like it is in a no nonsense but humorous sort of way. Sometimes he's the hero, sometimes he's the goat, but that's what makes him real. We see his arguments with Earl Weaver. We hear his trepidation for going on camera for NBC as a color commentator. We picture the interactions that he has with players and fans. In other words, he's relatable. If you grew up watching baseball in the 1960s and 1970s, you'll remember a lot of the players and managers that he interacts with. His book has an amazing supporting cast.
While certainly Ron Luciano, an umpire who became entertaining and notable in his own right for inserting himself into the game more, certainly wasn't everybody's cup of tea in a game filled with rich traditions and tons of unwritten rules. But he sure left us with an entertaining book filled with a lot of anecdotes of some of the baseball heroes of Baby Boomer and Gen X fans from their childhood. The nostalgia and the inside baseball is worth five-stars even if the game has changed drastically since he retired. Well worth the read.
June 9, 2023
Luciano started this book in the hole with me because I fundamentally do not like umpires who make the game about themselves. But I thought it would be interesting to see the game from an umpire's perspective, and I was looking forward to reading some interesting stories here about baseball in the 1970s. So I bought an ancient copy of this book and plunged in (pausing to tape the ragged dust jacket back together from time to time).
I wouldn't want to be an umpire. It seems like a terrible job. I remember a decade or so ago when Armando Galarraga was down to the last out of a perfect game and the umpire, Jim Joyce, blew it and called what would have been the last hitter of the game safe on a ground ball when he should have called him out. A perfect game is such a rare accomplishment that any pitcher who pitches one immediately achieves a kind of baseball immortality, and Galarraga was robbed, on the very last out by an umpire's mistake. I felt terrible for Galarraga (who was generously forgiving) and almost as bad for the umpire (who apologized tearfully and will forever be persona non grata in Detroit).
Luciano made some bad calls himself, and I liked having some insight into the mind of umpire when he does something like that. Luciano can be funny, and I did enjoy reading about his interactions with guys like Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson. But the stories about all his unprofessional antics rankled me to such an extent that they drained pleasure out of this book. Baseball is about players, and managers even, but the best umpires disappear from your consciousness when you watch.
I wouldn't want to be an umpire. It seems like a terrible job. I remember a decade or so ago when Armando Galarraga was down to the last out of a perfect game and the umpire, Jim Joyce, blew it and called what would have been the last hitter of the game safe on a ground ball when he should have called him out. A perfect game is such a rare accomplishment that any pitcher who pitches one immediately achieves a kind of baseball immortality, and Galarraga was robbed, on the very last out by an umpire's mistake. I felt terrible for Galarraga (who was generously forgiving) and almost as bad for the umpire (who apologized tearfully and will forever be persona non grata in Detroit).
Luciano made some bad calls himself, and I liked having some insight into the mind of umpire when he does something like that. Luciano can be funny, and I did enjoy reading about his interactions with guys like Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson. But the stories about all his unprofessional antics rankled me to such an extent that they drained pleasure out of this book. Baseball is about players, and managers even, but the best umpires disappear from your consciousness when you watch.
June 3, 2024
Interesting read especially considering the timeframe in which this book was written. I originally read this book in college when it was published in the mid 1980s and thought it was very funny. Came across a copy recently and decided to reread. The material has not aged well - not from a political correctness perspective but rather from the perspective of replay challenges and 24/7 availability of baseball games. In the timeframe that Ron Luciano was an umpire, we had one national game on Saturday afternoon, one on Monday night, and the Cardinals on the 4th of July - that was the extent of baseball on TV. Today most fans (me included) think that umpires are not the focus but should remain in the background. I fear Ron Luciano would be the Angel Hernandez of umpiring today lol. The material is still funny although a cautionary note here: you do need to be a fan of 1970s major league baseball to appreciate the stories and humor, otherwise you will probably not enjoy this read.
November 4, 2021
Always a treat are the rare autobiographies published by officials who rule professional sports. Ron Luciano provides a fascinating perspective of officiating Major League Baseball in his 1982 book “The Umpire Strikes Back.” Ron’s personality shines brightly throughout these pages, though his unabashed “unprofessionalism” at times on the baseball diamond saddened this fan. Though even the most traditional fanatics have to accept that no official is perfect, we still desire that the authority figures in our favorite sports are focused, dedicated and impartial professionals - if not constantly than at least in the critical moments. Luciano’s remembrances show that he at-times failed in this regard.
April 4, 2022
Ron Luciano tells of his experiences as an umpire in the minors and the American League then as a color analyst with the Game of the Week.
I have had this on my shelves for 39 years. I kept saying I was going to get to it. I have now finally gotten to it. And am I glad I did! It was so funny as he talks of being a talker on the field. I liked how he broke the chapters into playing positions. I loved the photos in the middle of the book. With baseball season coming up, and hearing about these players at the time and watching them on games and the news, I enjoyed myself. I liked how he talked of the changes in the game; and I even remember talk of orange baseballs. This is a trip down memory lane through the eyes of an umpire. It is still worth reading!
I have had this on my shelves for 39 years. I kept saying I was going to get to it. I have now finally gotten to it. And am I glad I did! It was so funny as he talks of being a talker on the field. I liked how he broke the chapters into playing positions. I loved the photos in the middle of the book. With baseball season coming up, and hearing about these players at the time and watching them on games and the news, I enjoyed myself. I liked how he talked of the changes in the game; and I even remember talk of orange baseballs. This is a trip down memory lane through the eyes of an umpire. It is still worth reading!
November 14, 2020
Fun book about an umpire who got that job almost by accident when he decided to go to umpire school as a lark to take up 6 weeks of his life. Early on in his MLB umpire career, he started becoming a showman which was atypical for an umpire and was frowned upon by the establishment. He spoke to Tony Oliva (Twins) multiple times over 4 seasons until he learned that Tony only spoke Spanish. After he retired as an umpire in 1979, he thought about getting into teaching, but he decided against it because “the schools still had children in them”.
March 19, 2024
I first read this in my late teens or early 20s and recently something triggered something that made me decide it was time to read it again, three decades later. Was a wonderful trip through memory lane. All of it, start to end, was wonderful.
One baseball nerd note. I've been struggling with but immensely enjoying playing Immaculate Grid (Hi Stu! 👋) and working on shortcuts. How neat it was to see him write about Cesar Tovar and Bert Campaneris in nearly the same story. Tovar and Campaneris are two of the five players who have played all nine positions in a single game. ⚾🤓‼️
One baseball nerd note. I've been struggling with but immensely enjoying playing Immaculate Grid (Hi Stu! 👋) and working on shortcuts. How neat it was to see him write about Cesar Tovar and Bert Campaneris in nearly the same story. Tovar and Campaneris are two of the five players who have played all nine positions in a single game. ⚾🤓‼️
April 27, 2021
Hilarious for anyone who knows or likes baseball, because the umpire has the best seat in the house for all the lunacy. Ron Luciano was always the funniest ump, and Fisher does a fantastic job translating his endless stories to the page.
A wild and funny romp through Luciano’s hilarious career and all the weirdness that makes baseball more fun. One part biography, one part comedy act and eminently readable.
I first read this one years and years ago, and it’s still funny as hell.
A wild and funny romp through Luciano’s hilarious career and all the weirdness that makes baseball more fun. One part biography, one part comedy act and eminently readable.
I first read this one years and years ago, and it’s still funny as hell.
July 16, 2025
Baseball Fans Will Love the Insights
But whoever was responsible for the editing should be embarrassed. Basics like Tom McCraw being called Ted, spelling Carl Yastrzemski incorrectly. That a game has to have five batters to be official. These are only a small example of the poor editing.
But whoever was responsible for the editing should be embarrassed. Basics like Tom McCraw being called Ted, spelling Carl Yastrzemski incorrectly. That a game has to have five batters to be official. These are only a small example of the poor editing.
November 13, 2017
This is a fun baseball book written from the perspective of an umpire. Plenty of stories and anecdotes from one of the most charismatic umpires of all time, who worked for the American League from 1969-1979.
November 20, 2022
I first read this book as a teenager, and I remembered laughing aloud. 30-odd years later I picked it back up. Still funny in parts, and the insider stories of baseball are interesting. But maybe not an entire book worth of funny and interesting...
December 16, 2023
I read Luciano's books (all but the last one) many years ago and remembered them as being very enjoyable. I remembered rightly. This is a great read for anyone who is a fan of baseball and wants an insider's view. Interesting to see how much the game has changed since Luciano's day.
July 25, 2025
The Umpire Strikes Back
As a former umpire on the collegiate and semi pro level, I thought the author did a wonderful job in explaining what a major league umpire faces each game. Luciano was a unique umpire.
As a former umpire on the collegiate and semi pro level, I thought the author did a wonderful job in explaining what a major league umpire faces each game. Luciano was a unique umpire.
September 27, 2018
solid light read. more substance, second half.
October 3, 2019
I love Ron Luciano. Even if you are not a sports fan, let alone baseball fan, you should find his book funny. He has a corny, exaggerated sense of humor. His experiences are quite funny.
December 19, 2019
A funny and poignant book on Ron's colourful career and life, some very funny tales (especially the Tommy John story) and I'm glad I got to learn about the big man 👍🏽
December 28, 2019
First-hand account of umpiring in the majors.
September 18, 2020
Excellent! Very funny.
November 15, 2021
I liked it, John
November 9, 2022
The history in this book, some of the legends I remembered as a kid. This book was funny, and definitely a trip down memory lane.
April 29, 2023
Made me want to become an umpire.
June 5, 2023
It's a fun read...take the game you've loved since you were a child and read the stories thru the umpires lens.
November 6, 2025
Ron's natural voice shines through as the endless stream of stories and personal anecdotes creates a very entertaining story of his life.
March 23, 2017
I was a huge fan of Luciano as an umpire and broadcaster and the book lived up to his reputation. These are his best stories of his battles with the who's who of baseball and it's laugh out loud funny.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews