“Cowboy” Joe West, president of the World Umpire Association, worked his 4,000th major league game Thursday. Way to go, they gave him a Nationals game to celebrate.

He’s the 19th man to reach the milestone. And I love that the umpire milestone usurps (just sh#ts on, really) the 3,000 hit mlb player milestone.

Congrats, Joe. Here are some other reasons why CJW is really cool (c/o CowboyJoeWest.com)….

  • Umpired first Major League game Sept. 13th, 1976 at the age of 23
  • In 1981, became the youngest umpire to work in a National League Championship Series (28
  • Designed and owns the United States, Canadian, and Japanese patents on the chest protector for the umpires known as the “West Vest.”
  • Inducted into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame in 2002…Quarterback of the Elon College football team, MVP in his senior year.
  • avid golfer
  • Was a nightly performer at Gilley’s in Pasadena, Texas in the early 1980’s where he worked with the Bayou City Beats and the Urban Cowboy.