Pat Hoberg
{{short description|American baseball umpire (born 1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| number = 31
| name = Pat Hoberg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|9|11|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| image = Pat Hoberg (15046618471) (cropped).jpg
| width =
| caption = Hoberg in 2014
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate = March 31
| debutyear = 2014
| finalleague = MLB
| finaldate = September 17
| finalyear = 2023
| highlights = Special Assignments
- Wild Card Games (2018, 2020)
- Division Series (2019, 2021, 2022)
- League Championship Series (2020)
- World Series (2022)
- World Baseball Classic (2023)
- Field of Dreams Game (2021)
- MLB Little League Classic (2017)
- Called a perfect game on October 29, 2022.
| hofdate =
| hofvote =
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}}
Patrick Hoberg (born September 11, 1986) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire. Hoberg was the home plate umpire for Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, during which he did not make a single incorrect ball or strike call. This accomplishment, characterized as a "perfect game" for an umpire, was the first such game since MLB began tracking pitch locations using Statcast in 2015.{{cite web|last= |first= |title=2022 World Series: Umpire Pat Hoberg called perfect game in Astros' Game 2 win |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2022-world-series-umpire-pat-hoberg-called-perfect-game-in-astros-game-2-win |date=November 1, 2022 |accessdate=May 4, 2025 |website=Fox Sports}} Hoberg was widely regarded as the best ball-strike umpire in MLB.
Career
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Hoberg graduated from Urbandale High School and Grand View University.{{cite news|last1=Birch|first1=Tommy|title=Sunday Stretch: Urbandale umpire Hoberg gets MLB break|url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/baseball/2014/04/05/urbandale-umpire-pat-hoberg-makes-mlb-debut/7354109/|accessdate=February 23, 2017|work=Des Moines Register|date=April 5, 2014}}
Hoberg made his Major League debut in 2014, and was one of four umpires promoted to the full-time staff in February 2017, upon the retirements of Bob Davidson, John Hirschbeck, Jim Joyce, and Tim Welke.{{cite news |date=February 22, 2017 |title=4 new umps as Hirschbeck, Welke, Davidson, Joyce retire |url=https://apnews.com/4-new-umps-as-hirschbeck-welke-davidson-joyce-retire-675aafc93bbd4a78a3888d1374ffad20 |accessdate=2025-03-12 |work=Associated Press}}
For the 2018 regular season, he was found to be a Top 10 performing home plate umpire in terms of accuracy in calling balls and strikes. His error rate was 7.93 percent. This was based on a study conducted at Boston University where 372,442 pitches were culled and analyzed.{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Mark T. |date=2019-04-08 |title=MLB Umpires Missed 34,294 Ball-Strike Calls in 2018. Bring on Robo-umps? |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/mlb-umpires-strike-zone-accuracy |accessdate=June 29, 2019 |website=BU Today}}
On October 29, 2022, during Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, Hoberg called a "perfect game" with 129 of 129 taken pitches called correctly. Hoberg received widespread praise from both fans and commentators of baseball.{{Cite news |last=Weisman|first=Max|date=October 30, 2022 |title=MLB umpire Pat Hoberg praised for calling 'perfect game' in World Series |url=https://nypost.com/2022/10/30/mlb-umpire-pat-hoberg-calls-perfect-game-in-2022-world-series/ |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}}
On June 14, 2024, MLB announced that Hoberg was disciplined following an investigation into a violation of the league's gambling rules. Hoberg appealed the decision, denying having bet on baseball. He did not umpire any games during the 2024 season.{{cite web |last=Passan |first=Jeff |date=2024-06-14 |title=MLB Disciplines Umpire Pat Hoberg |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40351784/mlb-disciplines-umpire-pat-hoberg-violating-gambling-rules-sources-say/ |access-date=June 15, 2024 |website=ESPN |language=en-US}} It was later revealed that the investigation began in February, and he was initially fired on May 31.
On February 3, 2025, MLB fired Hoberg for violation of the league's gambling rules following the appeal. It was found that he shared betting accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games, and that Hoberg deleted evidence pertaining to the league's investigation. He can apply for reinstatement for the 2026 MLB season.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Jesse |date=2025-02-03 |title=MLB upholds firing of ump for gambling violations |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43680990/mlb-upholds-firing-ump-pat-hoberg-gambling-violations |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/H/Phobep901.htm Retrosheet]
- [https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/umpire_card/193192/ The Baseball Cube]
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Category:Major League Baseball umpires
Category:Sportspeople from Des Moines, Iowa
Category:Grand View University alumni
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