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Poland native leads umpires

Umpire John Hirschbeck (17) listens as San Francisco Giants' Conor Gillaspie's ground out is reviewed during the sixth inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series between the Giants and the Chicago Cubs in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

CLEVELAND — Poland native John Hirschbeck has been named the umpire crew chief for the World Series, and Larry Vanover will call balls and strikes for Game 1.

This will be the fifth — and final — World Series for Hirschbeck, including three as crew chief. He announced at the beginning of the 2016 season that he would retire.

In a 2010 interview with Tribune Chronicle sister newspaper the Town Crier, Hirschbeck said, “As a crew chief in the World Series, there’s five other guys besides myself. You have to have that attitude that no matter what happens out here tonight, I’ll be able to handle whatever it is.”

While pressure and “never knowing what’s going to happen” are parts of the job, Hirschbeck said at the time he still enjoyed umpiring and has quite a few highlight moments from his career. When Barry Bonds hit his 756th homerun in 2007, Hirschbeck was behind the plate. And he was the home-plate umpire when Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched the first postseason no-hitter since Don Larsen’s perfect game of 1956.

Major League Baseball announced the seven-man umpire crew Monday.

Four umpires will work the World Series for the first time — Vanover, Chris Guccione, Marvin Hudson and Tony Randazzo.

Joe West, in his record 39th straight year in the majors, and Sam Holbrook also are on the crew.

Holbrook will be the replay official for the first two games, then switch places with Vanover. Todd Tichenor will assist in the replay room.

This will be the sixth World Series for West and Holbrook is working his second Series.

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