If there were a Hall of Fame for dishonest umpires, Dick Higham would be a founding member. To date, he remains the only arbiter ever to be permanently banished from the sport.
Born in County Suffolk, England, Higham was two years-old when he moved with his family to America. He began playing baseball as a teenager. After spending time with the New York Empire and Morrisania Union clubs, he ascended to the majors with the New York Mutuals. The promotion was bittersweet as his mother passed away within weeks of his big league arrival.
Higham was a talented hitter, compiling a lifetime .307 batting average for six different teams. Most often appearing at the top of the order, he led the National League in doubles twice and runs score once. A versatile fielder, he played every position on the diamond except for pitcher. He served in the outfield more often than not, but also spent a significant amount of time behind the plate. Catching was a hazardous profession in the 1800s due to the lack of protective equipment. Gloves were sparsely padded. There were no shin-guards and the use of masks and chest protectors was uncommon.
Over the course of his career, rumors began to circulate that Higham was fixing games for a price. Though nothing was ever proven, his playing days ended when he was still very much in his prime. Upon retiring in 1880, he settled in Troy, New York. Despite his questionable past, the National League hired him as an umpire in 1881. At the time, NL umpires had to be approved by team owners. Of the two dozen candidates selected that year, Higham placed third in voting.
Umpires were assigned to specific teams and Higham ended up with the Providence Grays to start the season. Later that year, he called games for the Detroit Wolverines and Troy Trojans. In all, he drew fifty-eight assignments, performing well enough to be honored with a testimonial game at season’s end.
In 1882, Higham placed eighth in voting during the selection process. He started the season with Detroit and drew the suspicions of Wolverines owner William G. Thompson, who believed that Higham was making calls against his team. A private detective hired by Thompson confirmed those misgivings. A letter written by Higham to a notorious gambler was discovered. In it, a simple telegram code for placing bets was established. “Buy all the lumber you can” was a cue to bet on the Wolverines while no telegram was an advisement to bet against them.
Confronted by a group of disgruntled owners, Higham was fired from his position and banned from the sport. He never admitted to any of the charges made against him. Upon being dismissed from his duties, he settled into a career as a bookkeeper. He was married with two sons at the time of his death in 1905 from complications of Bright’s disease (an ailment characterized by chronic inflammation of the kidneys).
Higham’s case helped raise awareness of the dishonesty within baseball and the need to hold umpires accountable for their actions. 1882 was the first year in which umpires, players and managers were all prohibited from betting on games. Though shady dealings would continue to pervade the sport over the next few decades, the situation was more closely monitored following Higham’s expulsion.
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