Joe West Retires from MLB After Umpiring All-Time Record 5,460 Regular-Season Games

Longtime MLB umpire Joe West retired Friday, ending a career that spanned 43 seasons.

According to ESPN, MLB announced several umpire-related transactions Friday, including the retirement of Gerry Davis, Kerwin Danley, Brian Gorman and Fieldin Culbreth as well.

West, 69, made his MLB umpiring debut in 1976 and went on to umpire an MLB-record 5,460 regular-season games.

Bill Klem previously held the record for most regular-season games umpired, but West broke it on May 25 when he was behind the plate for a game between the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.

The final game of West's illustrious career came during last season's playoffs when he was the home plate umpire for the National League Wild Card Game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cardinals on Oct. 6.

West, who goes by the nicknames "Country Joe" and "Cowboy Joe" due to his exploits as a country music singer-songwriter, was an umpire for several huge moments in MLB history.

In addition to umpiring six World Series and three MLB All-Star Games, West umpired Nolan Ryan's fifth no-hitter, Felix Hernandez's perfect game and Willie McCovey's 500th home run.

West was one of 57 umpires to resign from MLB in 1999 in an attempt to gain improved conditions, but he returned in 2002.

Along with the retirements, MLB announced Friday that Laz Diaz, Greg Gibson, Marvin Hudson, Ron Kulpa and Bill Welke have been promoted to crew chiefs.

Also, Ben May, Ryan Additon, Sean Barber, John Libka and Roberto Ortiz were named full-time MLB umpires.