Chris Guccione (umpire)
A steady, respected presence behind home plate, he has called balls and strikes in the Major Leagues for over two decades, including the sport's biggest stages.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American baseball umpire·Birthday: June 24·Generation X
Biography
Chris Guccione worked his way to the majors the traditional umpiring way: through the minors. After graduating from the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, he spent years calling games in the Appalachian, Midwest, and Pacific Coast leagues before getting his big break. He joined Major League Baseball's staff full-time in 2009. Known for his calm demeanor and consistent strike zone, Guccione has built a reputation as one of the game's more reliable officials. His tall, athletic frame allows him to maintain a good view of the plate, and he manages game tempo with an unflappable style. His skill has earned him numerous postseason assignments, working Division Series, League Championship Series, and in 2020, he was selected to umpire in the World Series. For players and fans, his number 68 signifies a veteran official trusted with the game's most critical moments.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Umpired in the 2020 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays.
- Selected as an umpire for the 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Miami.
- Has worked multiple League Championship Series, including the American League series in 2018 and 2021.
- Called the no-hitter thrown by the Seattle Mariners' combined pitchers against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022.
Did You Know?
He wore uniform number 68 throughout his MLB career.
He played college baseball as a pitcher at the University of Northern Colorado.
His father, Gene Guccione, was a longtime minor league baseball umpire.
He was the home plate umpire for Clay Buchholz's no-hitter in 2007, his second career MLB game.
“The best call is the one nobody remembers, because it was obviously right.”
