Don Bailey was such an
expert on baseball rules and administration that he was known as “Mr
Baseball” in Beaver County from 1941 until his death in 1974 at age
77. But an ironic bit of trivia about this amazing man was that he
had never been a player on any level of organized baseball. Don’s
first love was umpiring, an occupation in which he got his start at
a boy of 13 in his native Warren, Ohio. He perfected his skills in
officiating throughout his youth and concentrated on developing his
knowledge of baseball rules. After being wounded in World War I,
Don came to Beaver County in 1920 and opened a photography studio
in Monaca, and by 1926 he was writing baseball rules articles. He
estimated his total output in that field to fill an
eight page eight column newspaper. Much later he wrote two books
titled “Beaver County Baseball Guide” and “Beaver County Baseball
League Record Book.” Don became commissioner of the Beaver County
Baseball League in 1941 and was active in that capacity until ill
health forced his retirement in 1958. He founded the Beaver County
Umpires Association in 1946 and joined
Cal Hubbard in forming an
umpiring school two years later, which produced five umpires
who went on to professional careers. Bailey served as assistant
director of veterans affairs for Beaver County and was active for
many years in the American Legion.
Don Bailey was such an
expert on baseball rules and administration that he was known as “Mr
Baseball” in Beaver County from 1941 until his death in 1974 at age
77. But an ironic bit of trivia about this amazing man was that he
had never been a player on any level of organized baseball. Don’s
first love was umpiring, an occupation in which he got his start at
a boy of 13 in his native Warren, Ohio. He perfected his skills in
officiating throughout his youth and concentrated on developing his
knowledge of baseball rules. After being wounded in World War I,
Don came to Beaver County in 1920 and opened a photography studio
in Monaca, and by 1926 he was writing baseball rules articles. He
estimated his total output in that field to fill an
eight page eight column newspaper. Much later he wrote two books
titled “Beaver County Baseball Guide” and “Beaver County Baseball
League Record Book.” Don became commissioner of the Beaver County
Baseball League in 1941 and was active in that capacity until ill
health forced his retirement in 1958. He founded the Beaver County
Umpires Association in 1946 and joined