MLB appoints its first African American and Mexican American umpire crew chiefs

Two veteran umpires are about to make Major League Baseball history.

Kerwin Danley and Alfonso Márquez are among the four umpires announced by the league Thursday as new crew chiefs for the 2020 season. Danley will be the first African American to hold the position; Márquez will be the first Mexican American in the role.

Danley, 58, was a first-team All-America outfielder at San Diego State in 1985. He started umpiring in the Northwest League in 1985, called his first major league game in 1992 and became a member of the MLB staff in 1998. He has worked two World Series.

Márquez, 47, came to the United States from a small town in Zacatecas by squeezing through a border fence as a child. He began umpiring as a teen in Fullerton and became the first Mexican-born MLB umpire at age 27. He has worked three World Series.

Dan Iassogna and Jim Reynolds have also been promoted to crew chief, following the retirements of former crew chiefs Gary Cederstrom, Dana DeMuth, Mike Everitt and Jeff Kellogg.