Veteran MLB referee Rick Reed died Thursday. He was 70 years old.
Reed, who was born in Detroit, began his refereeing career in 1979. He became a team boss in 1999 and remained active until 2009. After his retirement, Reed worked in the commissioner’s office observing the referees. Throughout his career, Reed refereed seven different postseasons, including the 1991 World Series between the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves.
In addition to refereeing, Reed also worked as an actor. His biggest role came in “For Love of the Game,” a baseball movie starring Kevin Costner. Reed played the home plate umpire in the movie.
Veteran crew chief Ted Barrett called Reed a “mentor and friend,” according to the Associated Press.
“I worked my first game in the big leagues with him and he took me to lunch the next day. We didn’t even talk about refereeing, he talked about being a husband and father while doing this job, ”veteran team boss Ted Barrett, whose son is also a professional referee, texted the Associated Press.
“I also worked for many years with Rick as my team leader. He was a great referee and a men’s leader, ”said Barrett. “Rick prepared us to be team leaders. He was interested in our families and invited us to his family. His wife, Cindy, became a trusted confidant for our wives. Rick was more than just a team leader, he was a mentor and friend. “
