Tom Connolly (umpire)

Tom Connolly (born December 31, 1870, in Manchester, England; died April 28, 1961, in Natick, Massachusetts) was a Major League Baseball umpire from 1901 to 1931. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest umpires in baseball history and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, the second umpire to be so honored, after Bill Klem.

Connolly began his umpiring career in the minor leagues in 1898 before being hired by the American League in its inaugural season of 1901. He was known for his integrity, fairness, and knowledge of the game. Standing at 6'2", he commanded respect on the field. He frequently worked important games, including eight World Series (1903, 1906, 1910, 1913, 1916, 1920, 1924, and 1927) – a record at the time of his retirement.

Connolly was notable for developing and implementing a system of hand signals for umpires to communicate calls, which became standard practice. He also co-authored the first standardized rule book for baseball, along with Henry Chadwick.

After retiring from active umpiring in 1931, Connolly remained involved in baseball, serving as an umpire supervisor for the American League. His contributions to the sport were significant, and he left a lasting legacy on the profession of umpiring.