Joe West has been on his horse for a long, long time.
You knew that the often-controversial umpire has been calling Major League Baseball games for some time, perhaps even longer than you've been alive. Still, most probably underestimated just how long the 68-year-old has been in the game:
The late Henry Aaron still being active - playing with the Milwaukee Brewers - at the time of West's first MLB game is really cool, but Murphy may put in even better perspective the longevity of West. Murphy was a two-time National League MVP during an 18-year career, but even he's been retired since 1993. Murphy, now 65, hasn't played in a Major League game in 28 years. West was there for one of the first games that he played, when Murphy was just 20.
Murphy and the Braves lost West's first major league game 4-3 to the Houston Astros, the first half of a doubleheader at Fulton-County Stadium in Atlanta. Dick Ruthven started for the Braves, and was opposed by Mark Lemongello for the Astros. Enos Cabell, Bob Watson and Jose Cruz Sr. all drove in runs for the Astros.
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