Jim Honochick

Who was Jim Honochick?

George James John Honochick was an American League umpire. His career started in 1949 and ended in 1973. During his career, he officiated six World Series and four All-Star games. He also called balls and strikes for three no-hitters. He was the crew chief who declared that the Washington Senators forfeit its last game in 1971 because a mob, furious that the franchise was going to relocate to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex the next season, stormed the playing field with the team only one out away from victory.

During the mid-1970s, Honochick was one of the many professional sports-related celebrities who became spokespeople for Lite Beer from Miller. His first commercial played up the clichéd notion, usually belted out by hecklers, that umpires should get glasses because of questionable calls made on the field. In it, he helped to promote the product without realizing who the other pitchman in the ad was. After putting on spectacles, he immediately noticed who it was, exclaiming, "Hey! You're Boog Powell!" This theme continued to be used in subsequent Miller Lite spots.