Kerwin Danley made history Thursday, when he became the first African-American umpire promoted to crew chief at the Major League level. And one day later, his friend and former college teammate, Harold Reynolds, was one of the first to publicly congratulate him on the new gig on MLB Network¡¯s Hot Stove show.

¡°Freshman year at San Diego State, we¡¯re all in apartments and Kerwin is next door to me,¡± Reynolds recalled Friday. ¡°Basically we were roommates because we spent so much time together.¡±

Danley was among the best players on an Aztecs squad that featured several future Major League stars, earning First Team All-American status in 1983. Though he was drafted coming out of high school, he didn¡¯t get that same call again after San Diego State, and he found himself climbing through the umpiring ranks instead.

¡°I always wanted a chance to play in the Major Leagues,¡± Danley said. ¡°Being an All-American and not getting that chance was hard, but once I got into umpiring a few years down the road, I just realized that things are meant to be. Everybody¡¯s where they¡¯re supposed to be, and I think that was just my lane. I took to it, and I still enjoy it to this day.¡±

Danley¡¯s career path led to a chance encounter with Reynolds that the two remember fondly to this day.

¡°I¡¯m playing instructional league or something like that -- Spring Training -- and I go to the plate to hit, and the umpire calls a bad pitch,¡± said Reynolds. ¡°I step out and I¡¯m like, ¡®Well, where¡¯s that?¡¯ Kerwin takes off his mask and said, ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s gonna be like that!¡¯

¡°I was like, ¡®What!? Kerwin!¡¯ Reynolds continued with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know he was umpiring.¡±

Danley has filled in as a crew chief numerous times in recent seasons. His day-to-day duties will largely remain the same in his new role, though he will now be the point person in charge of his crew over the course of a 162-game season. The culmination of nearly 30 years in the Major Leagues has led to this moment where, alongside Alfonso Marquez -- the first Mexican-born crew chief as of Thursday¡¯s announcement -- Danley is clearing new ground.

¡°I¡¯m on top of the world,¡± said Danley. ¡°I¡¯m humbled, I¡¯m honored and I¡¯m glad to be carrying on the legacy of the African-American umpires who came before me. I¡¯m just loving it right now.¡±