Runge might be reunited with long-lost relatives at Canadian ball hall induction

February 5, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

There’s a good chance Paul Runge will see relatives he hasn’t seen in decades when he is inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont., on June 20.

The 85-year-old former National League umpire was born in St. Catharines, Ont., and lived there until he was six or seven.

“My father was born in Buffalo, but he migrated to Canada and married my mother and he was in the fire department in St. Catharines,” explained Runge on the Canadian ball hall inductees Zoom call on Thursday. “One of my uncles was in the Mounted Police. He lost his life crossing the ice after somebody.”

Runge also lived in Hamilton, Ont., for part of his youth.

When Runge was still young, his father, Ed, decided he’d rather put out “fires” on the ball field than in buildings, and as he pursued a professional umpiring career, the family travelled with him.

“In the off-season, we always moved back to Canada. I’m almost afraid to go back up there now. I have so many relatives up there that I don’t know their names,” joked Runge.

Runge’s family eventually settled in San Diego where he went to high school. By that time his father was a National League umpire, who would discourage his son from following in his footsteps. Fortunately, his son didn’t listen and developed into one of the National League’s best umpires for parts of 25 seasons from 1973 to 1997.

That resume earned him election to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Thursday alongside former Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Devon White, national team legend and current St. Louis Cardinals coach Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.), former Women’s National Team star Kate Psota (Burlington, Ont.) and early Montreal Expos ace Bill Stoneman. Longtime Baseball Canada executive director Jim Baba (Moose Jaw, Sask.) will also be inducted posthumously.

“This news came as a wonderful surprise and I am truly honoured to be recognized,” said Runge.

Born on October 20, 1940, Runge became a standout player in high school and was signed by the Houston Colts 45. He would play three pro seasons as an outfielder/catcher in the Colt 45s and Los Angeles Angels organizations from 1962 to 1964 before deciding to pursue an umpiring career.

Runge polished his skills as a minor league umpire for parts of nine seasons before graduating to the National League in 1973.

Over his quarter century as a big league umpire, Runge was selected to umpire nine National League Championship Series, four World Series (1979, 1984, 1989 and 1993) and three All-Star Games (1978, 1986, 1994).

On Oct. 23, 1993, Runge was umpiring second base when Blue Jays slugger Joe Carter belted his walk-off, World Series-winning home run against Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams.

On Thursday, Runge spoke about the pressure of working important postseason games.

“I can think of three or four pretty good umpires who had that one play that lasted the rest of their life . . . It can get pretty intense . . . I was very fortunate that I had some good games in the World Series, but there was a lot more pressure in that. There were a lot more people watching,” he said.

In total, Runge umpired 3,194 regular season MLB games, 43 championship series contests and 22 World Series games. Just three Canadians have umpired more MLB games: Bob Emslie (Guelph, Ont.), Jim McKean (Montreal, Que.) and Ernie Quigley (Newcastle, New Brunswick).

McKean, who died in 2019, and Runge were big league contemporaries, but McKean was an American League umpire.

“We were Canadians and we were friends,” said Runge. “He was a nice guy, a helluva guy and we absolutely had a [good] relationship. At our union meetings, we talked a lot about being Canadians.”

In 1998, Runge became the National League’s director of umpires. He served in that post through 1999.

Runge’s son, Brian, was also a National League umpire from 1999 to 2012. This made the Runges the first three-generation family of major league umpires. And there could be a fourth. Runge’s grandson, Josh, umpired in the High-A Midwest League in 2025.

“When he [Josh] told me he was interested in it, I told him exactly what my father told me that umpiring at its best is not that good,” said Runge. “The only thing you have to do is go on the field and be perfect when you start and continue to improve. But he went ahead and went to [umpire] school and he has been umpiring for the last two or three years. And he’s happy with it, so that’s what really counts.”

Runge, who is in good health, is looking forward to returning to Ontario this summer and perhaps seeing some long-lost relatives.

“I’ve always enjoyed Canada. I’ve always been a Canadian,” he said. “My whole family, when I talk to somebody, they introduce me as a Canadian . . . For me, that’s a positive.”