C.B. Bucknor '84, a former standout Red Dragon baseball player, has the distinction of being the only SUNY Cortland alumnus ever to become a Major League Baseball umpire. He is currently one of about 70 umpires working the American and National Leagues. Born in Jamaica, West Indies, Bucknor grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and attended Canarsie High. As a youngster, he became interested in baseball as a member of the Bonnie Youth Club, Inc., an association that annually provides organzied baseball for more than 200 children in Brooklyn. Nearly 25 years later, Bucknor stays active with that club, having served on its board of directors.
As a fleet-footed SUNY Cortland centerfielder, Bucknor set the school record for stolen bases. He was voted All-State University of New York Athletic Conference in 1983 and 1984. He earned a bachelor's degree in recreation in 1984 and immediately began working as a recreation therapist in the Child Life Department of the New York and Presbyterian Hospital in New York. Beloved because of his passion, caring and success at his work, Bucknor has been allowed to keep his hospital position throughout his professional baseball career. He continues to work in the off-season with infant-through-adolescent patients, helping them to cope with the trauma of hospitalization and surgery by use of therapeutic play, arts, crafts and games.
While umping a Bonnie Youth game in the 1980's, Bucknor thought he might like an umping career. He went to umpire school and began working New York-Penn League games in 1990. The following two seasons, he worked in the Class A Carolina League. In 1993 and 1994, Bucknor called games in the Class AA Eastern League. Bucknor was called up to umpire Class AAA baseball with the International League between 1995-99. He worked his first major league game, the Colorado Rockies versus the Philadelphia Phillies, on April 4, 1996. On August 1, 1999, Bucknor accepted National League Commissioner Len Coleman's offer to become a full-time major leage umpire.
Bucknor and his wife, Judy Ashton, a nurse, have three children: Phoenix, Austin-Hugh and Dakota.
