Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
A full-time MLB umpire since 2011 and a crew chief since 2023, Dan Bellino is upping his game on behalf of his compatriots as president of the Major League Baseball Umpires Association.
When Fra Noi last checked in with Dan Bellino in 2011, he’d just been named a full-time MLB umpire after spending parts of three seasons as a replacement. In the 14 seasons since, Bellino has umpired 1,758 MLB games and earned the respect of his peers: In 2023 he was promoted to crew chief and just last year was chosen by his peers to serve as the president of the Major League Baseball Umpires Association.
Bellino was invited to join the union’s board in 2012, despite being relatively new to the profession, because of his legal expertise. Unlike most umpires, Bellino earned a law degree at John Marshall Law School and is a licensed practicing attorney. He runs his own law practice in Algonquin and specializes in transactional law.
He has served every other role on the union’s board prior to being named president.
“It’s my turn to be the voice of the group,” Bellino says. “I plan to do it for five years and pass it off.”
Bellino, 47, is presiding over the union board at a time when the usually hidebound MLB is implementing near annual rules changes. Perhaps the most heralded recent change came in 2023 when the commissioner’s office added a pitch clock to speed up the pace of play. The move cut around 25 minutes of time from the average game, which is widely attributed to a subsequent increase in interest in the sport.
New this season is a challenge system that lets hitters, pitchers and catchers appeal home plate umpires’ ball-strike decisions to replay review.
Bellino does not object to the new ball-strike challenge system and says he thinks it has the potential to make the sport more entertaining to fans. And he says it won’t change the mission of every MLB umpire: to get the calls correct.
“We want to get everything right,” Bellino says. “None of us want to get overturned.”
Each season, regular MLB umpires are assigned to four-man crews and travel around the country working games together.
In his career, Bellino has gotten to work with and learn from veteran umps, including Larry Vanover, who umpired 3,470 games over 31 years; Tom Hallion, who umpired 3,645 games over 32 years; and the legendary Joe West, who umpired 5,460 games over 44 years, the MLB record.
Bellino had nothing but praise for West, noting that he treated a lot of the younger umpires like sons.
“He taught me that your job is, when the crew walks on the field, that everyone is in position to do their best,” Bellino says.
Bellino’s most recent crew included fellow Italian-American umpires Phil Cuzzi and Tony Randazzo. Was that a coincidence?
“It was intentional, I fought to get them,” Bellino says. “We are very proud Italian Americans. The commissioner’s office decides the crews ultimately, but they ask for recommendations, and I’ve been very lucky to be able to have Tony and Phil with me.”
Cuzzi retired at the end of the 2025 season after umpiring 3,289 games over 29 years.
“It’s sad to see him go,” Bellino says. “He made it to 70 years old, and I think he’s in better shape than me.”
As a crew chief now, Bellino says instead of just being in charge of himself on the field, he has to pay closer attention to everybody.
“Everyone is relying on you to make sure things are going smoothly,” Bellino says.
That includes taking the lead when there’s a dispute involving players or managers on the field.
“It’s a very important skill set for umpires to acquire, managing confrontations,” Bellino says. “It’s my responsibility to step in and say it’s time to move on and keep the game rolling. If you do it too late, it can be really difficult.”
Bellino says his goal is to reach 3,000 games umpired, and to get that done, you can’t miss much time due to injuries.
“The best ability anyone can have is availability,” Bellino says. “There are several older guys who end up with knee, neck and back problems and have to have surgeries. I’ve really focused more on being healthier.”
The above article appears in the May 2026 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture.
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