MLB umpire goes viral after ‘Seinfeld’ character Kramer is spotted on shirt underneath uniform

MLB veteran umpire James Hoye went viral on social media after a video review of a home run led to the discovery of him wearing a Cosmo Kramer T-shirt underneath his uniform.

Aug 19, 2024 - 08:13
MLB umpire goes viral after ‘Seinfeld’ character Kramer is spotted on shirt underneath uniform

Whenever headlines revolve around MLB umpires this season, it’s usually not for anything good as they likely pertain to some bad calls on the baseball diamond. 

However, the crew chief for the Atlanta Braves-Los Angeles Angels matchup on Saturday night, James Hoye, is gaining some popularity for a special undershirt that was spotted during the game. 

Beneath Hoye’s MLB umpire uniform was a T-shirt with beloved "Seinfield" character Cosmo Kramer on it. 

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The undershirt was spotted during the broadcast when umpires were reviewing a home run hit by Braves utility man Whit Merrifield.

"That’s Kramer on his shirt," play-by-play announcer Wayne Randazzo said immediately when he saw it on the broadcast. "Look at that. A picture of Kramer on his shirt."

Randazzo’s partner in the booth, Mark Gubicza, quickly acknowledged him. 

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"It’s Cosmo Kramer!" he said. 

"That’s unbelievable," Randazzo continued. "What a sequence we just saw."

Social media went into a frenzy when they saw the undershirt on Hoye. 

"Absolutely love this!" one X user commented. 

"He’s out there and loving every minute of it," another said, referencing one of Michael Richards’ famous lines as Kramer from the show. 

Hoye has been an umpire in the league for quite some time, making his debut in 2003. He is highly respected among his peers, having been a part of two World Series crews in 2019 and 2022, while also being the home plate umpire and crew chief for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

But those umpiring accomplishments may be overlooked now by MLB fans, who will now always remember that Hoye, like many of them, is a huge "Seinfeld" fan.