Paul Pryor, age 68, a National League umpire from 1961 to 1981, passed away on Friday, Dec. 15, 1995. Anderson McQueen Funeral Home said only that Pryor died in a nursing home following a lengthy illness.
He was survived by his wife, the former Francis Carleen Hammond, whom he married in Hendersonville, NC, on August 1, 1952; and three children, Fred of Bedford, Texas, Patrick of St. Petersburg, and Melanie of Leicester, Mass.; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter Paula Pryor.
A visitation began at 2 PM on Sunday, Dec. 17, 1995, followed by a service at 5 PM at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, Ninth Street Chapel, 2201 M.L. King St. N, St. Petersburg, FL. Burial occurred later at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
==========
The following article was published in the Racine Journal Times on Dec. 17, 1995:
NL umpire, ex-Racinian Pryor dies
by Joseph A. Scolaro
Paul Pryor will be remembered as the kind of person who could make anybody feel special.
Pryor, the former National League baseball umpire who lived in Racine in the 1960s, died Friday at St. Petersburg, FL. Pryor, 68, died after suffering a stroke at a nursing home. Pryor had suffered a series of strokes recently.
"He was very much liked, respected by everyone in the community," Pryor's son, Fred, said Saturday in a telephone interview from Florida. "He did a lot of work for kids. He did a lot of public speaking. He was one of those guys nobody felt uncomfortable around."
Pryor lived in Racine from the early 1960s to the early 1970s and taught at St. Lucy's School.
Pryor was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He chose to live in Racine because of its location between Milwaukee and Chicago. As an umpire, Pryor traveled much during the summers, but could visit his family in Racine if he was working a Milwaukee Braves game or Chicago Cubs game, Fred said.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Pryor played minor league baseball, but never made it to the majors before injuries forced him to quit. He managed in the minor leagues and got into umpiring, quite literally, by accident. In 1948, an umpire in the Georgia State League was injured in an accident. Pryor was asked to fill in and wound up finishing the season.
Following his graduation from High Point, NC, College, Pryor returned to umpiring in 1954. On Sept. 1, 1961, the National League purchased Pryor's contract from the American Association. He worked his first major league game Sept. 22 - a Pirates-Phillies game at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium. Pryor umpired the World Series in 1967, 1973 and 1980, worked the All-Star game in 1963, 1971 and 1978 and umpired the playoffs in 1970, 1974 and 1977. Pryor, who had health problems, retired from umpiring after the 1981 season.
When Pryor umpired in the major leagues, the men in blue preferred staying in the background. But confrontations have escalated, Pryor said several years ago, and not just because of the players. "Some of these umpires have to have the last word" he said at the time. "They're laying a trap, so to speak. A lot of times these young umpires will follow (a player), yelling: "What did you say?' Naturally, the player's going to turn around and then you've got a shouting match going and the umpire runs him."
When he lived in Racine, Pryor taught history and social studies at St. Lucy's School and was active in the school's athletic program. He was a well-known public speaker in the Racine area and started a basketball program at Dominican College, where he was the college's first basketball coach for several years.
Fred said his father's favorite hangouts included Devine's Sporting Goods Store, De Mark Brothers Tavern and Wells Brothers Bar & Restaurant. "He liked our food," Guy Wells said. "Every time he stopped by, he would bring some baseballs. He was a very good man. An outstanding individual." Wells said Pryor brought umpires from Kenosha's minor league games to the restaurant, and sometimes a famous player, such as Ernie Banks from the Chicago Cubs, who enjoyed a homemade wine made by an uncle of Guy Wells.
Fred said his father knew many people, from big sports stars to baseball stadium ground crew members. "He had a vast, vast network of people from sports and all walks of life," Fred Pryor said. "He always seemed like he took special time for everybody. They didn't have to be a big star. He hung out with the regular guys. That was back in the day when umpires chose to be less flamboyant."
=======
National League umpire from 1961 to 1981. He began his baseball career as a pitcher in 1945. He played 5 seasons in the Minor Leagues. Following his playing career, Pryor turned to umpiring in 1954, were he worked in the Carolina League until 1958. He then would work in the South Atlantic League and American Association before becoming a National League umpire in 1961. In his 21 Major League career, he umpired 3,094 regular season games, umpired the 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1981 National League Championship series, 1967, 1973, and 1980 All Star Games, and the 1963, 1971, and 1978 World Series.
This is the link for Paul Pryor's Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pryor
He was survived by his wife, the former Francis Carleen Hammond, whom he married in Hendersonville, NC, on August 1, 1952; and three children, Fred of Bedford, Texas, Patrick of St. Petersburg, and Melanie of Leicester, Mass.; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter Paula Pryor.
A visitation began at 2 PM on Sunday, Dec. 17, 1995, followed by a service at 5 PM at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, Ninth Street Chapel, 2201 M.L. King St. N, St. Petersburg, FL. Burial occurred later at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
==========
The following article was published in the Racine Journal Times on Dec. 17, 1995:
NL umpire, ex-Racinian Pryor dies
by Joseph A. Scolaro
Paul Pryor will be remembered as the kind of person who could make anybody feel special.
Pryor, the former National League baseball umpire who lived in Racine in the 1960s, died Friday at St. Petersburg, FL. Pryor, 68, died after suffering a stroke at a nursing home. Pryor had suffered a series of strokes recently.
"He was very much liked, respected by everyone in the community," Pryor's son, Fred, said Saturday in a telephone interview from Florida. "He did a lot of work for kids. He did a lot of public speaking. He was one of those guys nobody felt uncomfortable around."
Pryor lived in Racine from the early 1960s to the early 1970s and taught at St. Lucy's School.
Pryor was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He chose to live in Racine because of its location between Milwaukee and Chicago. As an umpire, Pryor traveled much during the summers, but could visit his family in Racine if he was working a Milwaukee Braves game or Chicago Cubs game, Fred said.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Pryor played minor league baseball, but never made it to the majors before injuries forced him to quit. He managed in the minor leagues and got into umpiring, quite literally, by accident. In 1948, an umpire in the Georgia State League was injured in an accident. Pryor was asked to fill in and wound up finishing the season.
Following his graduation from High Point, NC, College, Pryor returned to umpiring in 1954. On Sept. 1, 1961, the National League purchased Pryor's contract from the American Association. He worked his first major league game Sept. 22 - a Pirates-Phillies game at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium. Pryor umpired the World Series in 1967, 1973 and 1980, worked the All-Star game in 1963, 1971 and 1978 and umpired the playoffs in 1970, 1974 and 1977. Pryor, who had health problems, retired from umpiring after the 1981 season.
When Pryor umpired in the major leagues, the men in blue preferred staying in the background. But confrontations have escalated, Pryor said several years ago, and not just because of the players. "Some of these umpires have to have the last word" he said at the time. "They're laying a trap, so to speak. A lot of times these young umpires will follow (a player), yelling: "What did you say?' Naturally, the player's going to turn around and then you've got a shouting match going and the umpire runs him."
When he lived in Racine, Pryor taught history and social studies at St. Lucy's School and was active in the school's athletic program. He was a well-known public speaker in the Racine area and started a basketball program at Dominican College, where he was the college's first basketball coach for several years.
Fred said his father's favorite hangouts included Devine's Sporting Goods Store, De Mark Brothers Tavern and Wells Brothers Bar & Restaurant. "He liked our food," Guy Wells said. "Every time he stopped by, he would bring some baseballs. He was a very good man. An outstanding individual." Wells said Pryor brought umpires from Kenosha's minor league games to the restaurant, and sometimes a famous player, such as Ernie Banks from the Chicago Cubs, who enjoyed a homemade wine made by an uncle of Guy Wells.
Fred said his father knew many people, from big sports stars to baseball stadium ground crew members. "He had a vast, vast network of people from sports and all walks of life," Fred Pryor said. "He always seemed like he took special time for everybody. They didn't have to be a big star. He hung out with the regular guys. That was back in the day when umpires chose to be less flamboyant."
=======
National League umpire from 1961 to 1981. He began his baseball career as a pitcher in 1945. He played 5 seasons in the Minor Leagues. Following his playing career, Pryor turned to umpiring in 1954, were he worked in the Carolina League until 1958. He then would work in the South Atlantic League and American Association before becoming a National League umpire in 1961. In his 21 Major League career, he umpired 3,094 regular season games, umpired the 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1981 National League Championship series, 1967, 1973, and 1980 All Star Games, and the 1963, 1971, and 1978 World Series.
This is the link for Paul Pryor's Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pryor
Paul Pryor, age 68, a National League umpire from 1961 to 1981, passed away on Friday, Dec. 15, 1995. Anderson McQueen Funeral Home said only that Pryor died in a nursing home following a lengthy illness.
He was survived by his wife, the former Francis Carleen Hammond, whom he married in Hendersonville, NC, on August 1, 1952; and three children, Fred of Bedford, Texas, Patrick of St. Petersburg, and Melanie of Leicester, Mass.; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter Paula Pryor.
A visitation began at 2 PM on Sunday, Dec. 17, 1995, followed by a service at 5 PM at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, Ninth Street Chapel, 2201 M.L. King St. N, St. Petersburg, FL. Burial occurred later at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
==========
The following article was published in the Racine Journal Times on Dec. 17, 1995:
NL umpire, ex-Racinian Pryor dies
by Joseph A. Scolaro
Paul Pryor will be remembered as the kind of person who could make anybody feel special.
Pryor, the former National League baseball umpire who lived in Racine in the 1960s, died Friday at St. Petersburg, FL. Pryor, 68, died after suffering a stroke at a nursing home. Pryor had suffered a series of strokes recently.
"He was very much liked, respected by everyone in the community," Pryor's son, Fred, said Saturday in a telephone interview from Florida. "He did a lot of work for kids. He did a lot of public speaking. He was one of those guys nobody felt uncomfortable around."
Pryor lived in Racine from the early 1960s to the early 1970s and taught at St. Lucy's School.
Pryor was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He chose to live in Racine because of its location between Milwaukee and Chicago. As an umpire, Pryor traveled much during the summers, but could visit his family in Racine if he was working a Milwaukee Braves game or Chicago Cubs game, Fred said.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Pryor played minor league baseball, but never made it to the majors before injuries forced him to quit. He managed in the minor leagues and got into umpiring, quite literally, by accident. In 1948, an umpire in the Georgia State League was injured in an accident. Pryor was asked to fill in and wound up finishing the season.
Following his graduation from High Point, NC, College, Pryor returned to umpiring in 1954. On Sept. 1, 1961, the National League purchased Pryor's contract from the American Association. He worked his first major league game Sept. 22 - a Pirates-Phillies game at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium. Pryor umpired the World Series in 1967, 1973 and 1980, worked the All-Star game in 1963, 1971 and 1978 and umpired the playoffs in 1970, 1974 and 1977. Pryor, who had health problems, retired from umpiring after the 1981 season.
When Pryor umpired in the major leagues, the men in blue preferred staying in the background. But confrontations have escalated, Pryor said several years ago, and not just because of the players. "Some of these umpires have to have the last word" he said at the time. "They're laying a trap, so to speak. A lot of times these young umpires will follow (a player), yelling: "What did you say?' Naturally, the player's going to turn around and then you've got a shouting match going and the umpire runs him."
When he lived in Racine, Pryor taught history and social studies at St. Lucy's School and was active in the school's athletic program. He was a well-known public speaker in the Racine area and started a basketball program at Dominican College, where he was the college's first basketball coach for several years.
Fred said his father's favorite hangouts included Devine's Sporting Goods Store, De Mark Brothers Tavern and Wells Brothers Bar & Restaurant. "He liked our food," Guy Wells said. "Every time he stopped by, he would bring some baseballs. He was a very good man. An outstanding individual." Wells said Pryor brought umpires from Kenosha's minor league games to the restaurant, and sometimes a famous player, such as Ernie Banks from the Chicago Cubs, who enjoyed a homemade wine made by an uncle of Guy Wells.
Fred said his father knew many people, from big sports stars to baseball stadium ground crew members. "He had a vast, vast network of people from sports and all walks of life," Fred Pryor said. "He always seemed like he took special time for everybody. They didn't have to be a big star. He hung out with the regular guys. That was back in the day when umpires chose to be less flamboyant."
=======
National League umpire from 1961 to 1981. He began his baseball career as a pitcher in 1945. He played 5 seasons in the Minor Leagues. Following his playing career, Pryor turned to umpiring in 1954, were he worked in the Carolina League until 1958. He then would work in the South Atlantic League and American Association before becoming a National League umpire in 1961. In his 21 Major League career, he umpired 3,094 regular season games, umpired the 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1981 National League Championship series, 1967, 1973, and 1980 All Star Games, and the 1963, 1971, and 1978 World Series.
This is the link for Paul Pryor's Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pryor
He was survived by his wife, the former Francis Carleen Hammond, whom he married in Hendersonville, NC, on August 1, 1952; and three children, Fred of Bedford, Texas, Patrick of St. Petersburg, and Melanie of Leicester, Mass.; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter Paula Pryor.
A visitation began at 2 PM on Sunday, Dec. 17, 1995, followed by a service at 5 PM at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, Ninth Street Chapel, 2201 M.L. King St. N, St. Petersburg, FL. Burial occurred later at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
==========
The following article was published in the Racine Journal Times on Dec. 17, 1995:
NL umpire, ex-Racinian Pryor dies
by Joseph A. Scolaro
Paul Pryor will be remembered as the kind of person who could make anybody feel special.
Pryor, the former National League baseball umpire who lived in Racine in the 1960s, died Friday at St. Petersburg, FL. Pryor, 68, died after suffering a stroke at a nursing home. Pryor had suffered a series of strokes recently.
"He was very much liked, respected by everyone in the community," Pryor's son, Fred, said Saturday in a telephone interview from Florida. "He did a lot of work for kids. He did a lot of public speaking. He was one of those guys nobody felt uncomfortable around."
Pryor lived in Racine from the early 1960s to the early 1970s and taught at St. Lucy's School.
Pryor was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He chose to live in Racine because of its location between Milwaukee and Chicago. As an umpire, Pryor traveled much during the summers, but could visit his family in Racine if he was working a Milwaukee Braves game or Chicago Cubs game, Fred said.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Pryor played minor league baseball, but never made it to the majors before injuries forced him to quit. He managed in the minor leagues and got into umpiring, quite literally, by accident. In 1948, an umpire in the Georgia State League was injured in an accident. Pryor was asked to fill in and wound up finishing the season.
Following his graduation from High Point, NC, College, Pryor returned to umpiring in 1954. On Sept. 1, 1961, the National League purchased Pryor's contract from the American Association. He worked his first major league game Sept. 22 - a Pirates-Phillies game at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium. Pryor umpired the World Series in 1967, 1973 and 1980, worked the All-Star game in 1963, 1971 and 1978 and umpired the playoffs in 1970, 1974 and 1977. Pryor, who had health problems, retired from umpiring after the 1981 season.
When Pryor umpired in the major leagues, the men in blue preferred staying in the background. But confrontations have escalated, Pryor said several years ago, and not just because of the players. "Some of these umpires have to have the last word" he said at the time. "They're laying a trap, so to speak. A lot of times these young umpires will follow (a player), yelling: "What did you say?' Naturally, the player's going to turn around and then you've got a shouting match going and the umpire runs him."
When he lived in Racine, Pryor taught history and social studies at St. Lucy's School and was active in the school's athletic program. He was a well-known public speaker in the Racine area and started a basketball program at Dominican College, where he was the college's first basketball coach for several years.
Fred said his father's favorite hangouts included Devine's Sporting Goods Store, De Mark Brothers Tavern and Wells Brothers Bar & Restaurant. "He liked our food," Guy Wells said. "Every time he stopped by, he would bring some baseballs. He was a very good man. An outstanding individual." Wells said Pryor brought umpires from Kenosha's minor league games to the restaurant, and sometimes a famous player, such as Ernie Banks from the Chicago Cubs, who enjoyed a homemade wine made by an uncle of Guy Wells.
Fred said his father knew many people, from big sports stars to baseball stadium ground crew members. "He had a vast, vast network of people from sports and all walks of life," Fred Pryor said. "He always seemed like he took special time for everybody. They didn't have to be a big star. He hung out with the regular guys. That was back in the day when umpires chose to be less flamboyant."
=======
National League umpire from 1961 to 1981. He began his baseball career as a pitcher in 1945. He played 5 seasons in the Minor Leagues. Following his playing career, Pryor turned to umpiring in 1954, were he worked in the Carolina League until 1958. He then would work in the South Atlantic League and American Association before becoming a National League umpire in 1961. In his 21 Major League career, he umpired 3,094 regular season games, umpired the 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1981 National League Championship series, 1967, 1973, and 1980 All Star Games, and the 1963, 1971, and 1978 World Series.
This is the link for Paul Pryor's Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pryor
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
