Don Denkinger Autographs
Donald Anton Denkinger (/ˈdɛŋkɪŋɡər/; August 28, 1936 – May 12, 2023) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) who worked in the American League (AL) from 1969 to 1998. Denkinger wore uniform number 11, when the AL adopted uniform numbers in 1980. He is best remembered for an incorrect safe call he made at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series, which came to be known as The Call.
Denkinger was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in 1936. He and his wife, Gayle Price, had three daughters, Darcel Nikolajsen, Denise Hanson, and Dana Kelly. Denkinger died at a hospice facility in Waterloo, Iowa, on May 12, 2023, at the age of 86.
Denkinger attended Wartburg College, where he was on the wrestling team. After serving in the Army from 1957 to 1959, he began umpiring in the Alabama–Florida League in 1960, joined the AL staff in April 1969, and became an AL crew chief in 1977. In 1975, Denkinger was one of the first American League umpires to switch from the outside chest protector to the inside chest protector, which was used in the National League for decades before finally being adopted in the AL in the late 1970s. All umpires who entered the AL starting in 1977 had to use the inside protector; AL umpires on staff prior to 1977 were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector. Denkinger's last game using the outside protector was Game 4 of the 1974 World Series.
Read more about Don Denkinger on Wikipedia
Affiliate disclosure: When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Traded items with a signature of Don Denkinger
The most expensive item with a signature of Don Denkinger (FUTURE HOF (Umpire): Don Denkinger, 1962 SIGNED NW League Contract (Dec'd)) was sold in December 2023 for $99.99 while the cheapest item (DON DENKINGER Hand Signed Autograph 4X6 Photo & 3X5 CARD - MLB BASEBALL UMPIRE) found a new owner for $0.01 in August 2021. The month with the most items sold (5) was May 2023 with an average selling price of $13.95 for an autographed item of Don Denkinger. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in December 2023 with $99.99 and the month that saw the lowest prices with $0.01 was August 2021. In average, an autographed item from Don Denkinger is worth $8.55.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Don Denkinger were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
| Picture | Item Title | Price | Store |
 | -Don Denkinger- (d.2023) Signed/Autograph/Auto Index Card Umpire MLB | $6.99 |  |
| 2012 Topps Allen and Ginter Autograph #DDK DON DENKINGER AUTO UMPIRE | $36.99 | |
| 2012 Topps Allen and Ginter Autograph #DDK DON DENKINGER AUTO UMPIRE | $37.25 | |
| Autographed DON DENKINGER Official Major League Baseball -w/COA | $69.97 | |
 | DON DENKINGER 1988 T&M Sports UMPIRES #8 AUTOGRAPH Signed AL Umpire AUTO | $14.24 | |
| DON DENKINGER 1988 T&M Sports UMPIRES #8 AUTOGRAPH Signed AL Umpire AUTO | $21.24 | |
| DON DENKINGER AMERICAN LEAGUE UMPIRE SIGNED AUTOGRAPHED ALLEN & GINTER 5X7 | $14.99 | |
| Don Denkinger Autograph Signed Major League Umpire 1988 T & M Card | $10.95 | |
| DON DENKINGER autographed 2012 ALLEN AND GINTER MINI Kansas City Royals auto | $12.99 | |
| DON DENKINGER MLB Baseball Umpire 2012 Allen & Ginter's SIGNED / AUTOGRAPH Card | $9.95 | |
| Don Denkinger Signed 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter A&G Card #51 MLB Umpire Auto | $0.99 | |
| Don Denkinger signed index card baseball umpire AL 1969-1998 dec. 2023 | $30.00 | |
 | Don Denkinger Signed MLB Umpire Business Card - Through the Mail Autograph | $24.99 | |
| FUTURE HOF (Umpire): Don Denkinger, 1962 SIGNED NW League Contract (Dec'd) | $99.99 | |
| MLB Umpire DON DENKINGER Signed 4x6 Photo BASEBALLAUTOGRAPH 1 | $19.99 | |
Latest News about Don Denkinger
Don Denkinger, Umpire Remembered for Botched Call, Dies at 86 (05/14/2023): His reputation as a longtime major-league umpire was overshadowed by a wrong call he made during the 1985 World Series. Former longtime MLB umpire Denkinger dies at 86 (05/13/2023): Don Denkinger, a major league umpire who worked four World Series over three decades, died Friday. He was 86. 
Longtime MLB umpire Don Denkinger dies at age 86 (05/13/2023): Denkinger, who umpired close to 4,000 games in his career, was best known for a blown call at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series
