Joe West
Joe West is an American former baseball umpire who holds the record for umpiring the most games in Major League Baseball.
Umpire
October 31, 1952
72
Joseph Henry West, also known as “Cowboy Joe” or “Country Joe,” is a retired American baseball umpire who worked in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 to 2021. Born in Asheville, North Carolina, West is known for his entertaining and occasionally controversial on-field antics. Throughout his career, he umpired in numerous World Series and All-Star Games. West holds the MLB record for umpiring the most games, with a total of 5,460 games across 43 seasons.
Aside from his umpiring career, West is passionate about country music and has released two albums, “Blue Cowboy” in 2002 and “Diamond Dreams” in 2017, featuring original songs he wrote. He has also served as an umpire instructor and made appearances on various television shows and commercials. In 2021, West retired from his record-breaking career as an MLB umpire.