Mumbai, Sep 23 (NationPress) The iconic umpire Harold 'Dickie' Bird from England has sadly passed away in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on Tuesday, at the age of 92. His beloved club, Yorkshire, confirmed the news on Tuesday morning, noting that he died peacefully at home.

"He leaves behind a remarkable legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy -- along with a multitude of admirers spanning generations," Yorkshire stated in an official announcement on Tuesday.

"Our thoughts are with Dickie's family and friends during this difficult time. He will be deeply missed by all at the Club, having dedicated an incredible amount of time supporting everyone here, and will be remembered as one of the most colorful characters in Yorkshire's rich history," the statement continued.

Renowned as one of the most loved umpires in cricket history, Dickie was celebrated not only for his excellent judgment but also for his unique quirks, such as arriving early for matches he officiated and his hesitation to declare players out leg before wicket. On one occasion, he showed up at 6 AM for an 11 AM match and was caught by security attempting to scale the wall to enter the stadium. This early arrival habit became a hallmark of his career.

Born on April 19, 1933, in Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, Dickie officiated 66 Tests, 69 One-day Internationals, and 7 Women's ODIs during his international career, which stretched from 1973 to 1996, when he finally retired his white coat.

After a knee injury curtailed his ambitions as a football player, Dickie transitioned into cricket, contributing as a player, coach, and umpire.

As a right-handed batter and right-arm off-break bowler, Dickie played 93 First-class matches for Yorkshire and Leicestershire, amassing 3,314 runs, including two centuries and 14 half-centuries.

Post his playing career, he coached at Plymouth College from 1966 to 1968 and spent time coaching in Johannesburg in 1968 and 1969. He officiated his first County Championship match in 1970, and three years later, he was in charge of his first Test match between England and New Zealand at Headingley in Leeds.

Dickie Bird traveled extensively around the cricketing globe to officiate matches, garnering respect from players and administrators alike. Famously, he was known for being hesitant to raise his finger for lbw appeals -- several of his decisions would have been overturned in today's DRS era. To balance this, he often tilted the benefit of the doubt in favor of batters.

He was also frequently the target of pranks by players, notably by England stars like Allan Lamb and Ian Botham, who once entered a match with a mobile phone and called Birdie to relay a message to the batter at the crease.

Dickie Bird was honored with an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 2012 for his exceptional contributions to the sport of cricket.