ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Umpire Larry Vanover is retiring after more than 30 years on the major league staff.
Vanover’s wife and son took out the lineup card to the pregame meeting at the plate before Sunday’s game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.
The Kentucky-born Vanover, 69, was honored with a message on the scoreboard during the first inning and received an ovation from the fans.
He joined the big league staff in 1993 and on March 31, 2014, made the first call in the history of expanded instant replay, working from the Replay Operations Center.
Vanover worked the 2016 World Series. His 2014 regular season concluded with home-plate duties in Derek Jeter’s final game on Sept. 28, 2014, at Fenway Park.
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