Harold “Dickie” Bird, one of cricket’s most famous and much-loved former umpires , has died at the age of 92, England’s Yorkshire County Cricket Club (CCC) has announced.
Bird “died peacefully at home”, Yorkshire CCC wrote in a post announcing Bird’s death on Tuesday.
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He began his umpiring career in 1973 and officiated in 66 Test matches, 69 men’s one-day internationals and three World Cup finals before retiring in 1996.
He was given a guard of honour at Lord’s Cricket Ground by England and India players before his final Test.
Bird’s eccentric and humorous character endeared him to cricket fans around the world and across generations.
Yorkshire called Bird a “national treasure” who was “known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth”.
“Dickie Bird enjoyed an illustrious career as an international umpire, writing his name into history as the most famous and popular official in the game’s history,” the club said.
“He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy – and a legion of admirers across generations.”
Bird, who sold more than a million copies of his autobiography, was named Yorkshire president in 2014.
Bird’s first-class playing career, which included spells with his beloved Yorkshire and Leicestershire, was cut short by injury at the age of 32 with an average of 20.71.
He went on to become arguably the world’s most famous umpire, standing in an English county match for the first time in 1970.
In 1975, Bird took charge of the inaugural men’s Cricket World Cup final.
“Dickie enjoyed an illustrious career as an umpire,” the Lord’s-based Marylebone Cricket Club said, “and was one of the most popular officials in the history of the game.”
An umpire long before the introduction of technology to cricket, Bird was renowned for being cautious with his decisions and making few clear mistakes, telling the BBC that his parents ” instilled this mental strength to believe in myself”.
In his pomp and in his later years, he was as popular as the players he officiated, never refusing to sign an autograph and often was seen waiting patiently to do so even when lines were long. His autobiography was Britain’s biggest-selling sports book.
It was his idiosyncrasies that made him so loved – the way he raised his finger to give a batter out, his warmth and conversational approach with players, his grin, his stooping gait, how he twitched his arms and tugged at his umpire’s jacket.
Bird listed Garfield Sobers, Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards and Dennis Lillee as the best players he ever umpired. His one regret in life, Bird told The Guardian newspaper in 2013, was not having a family.
“I gave my life to cricket. It’s as simple as that,” he said. “I never got married because I was married to the game.”
MCC is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Harold “Dickie” Bird. An Honorary Life Member of the Club, Dickie enjoyed an illustrious career as an umpire and was one of the most popular officials in the history of the game.
He officiated in 66 men’s Test matches and we were… pic.twitter.com/r22NSrKCAZ
— Lord’s Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) September 23, 2025
