He joined the
National League full-time starting in 1965 after two partial seasons in 1963–64. He officiated in the
1981 National League Division Series, five
National League Championship Series' (
1972,
1975,
1979,
1984–Game 5 only, and
1987—crew chief), four
World Series (
1971,
1978,
1982, and
1986—crew chief), and four
Major League Baseball All-Star Games (
1965,
1974,
1980—crew chief, and
1985). He also umpired at the
no-hitters of
Ken Holtzman (1971, third base),
Nolan Ryan's fifth no-hitter (1981, third base),
Bob Forsch's second no-hitter (1983, second base), and
Tom Browning's
perfect game (1988, second base). He served as the home plate umpire for the Cardinals inaugural game at
Busch Memorial Stadium on May 12, 1966.
1986 World Series Kibler was the crew chief of umpiring for the 1986 World Series. In Game 6, Kibler was umpiring first base when he made the call that
New York Mets outfielder
Mookie Wilson's dribbler was a fair ball as it went between the legs of
Boston first baseman
Bill Buckner, Kibler emphatically pointing "fair" as the ball went down the first base line. Kibler then umpired behind the plate for Game 7 when the Mets clinched their second World Series title in their history. ==Personal life==