Being Chosen for the Senior Summer Games Was Something I Was Proud Of
One thing that meant a lot to me was being chosen as one of nine umpires to officiate the Senior Summer Games.
I was proud of that because it showed that people trusted me to do the job properly.
I never umpired because I wanted attention. I did it because I enjoyed the game and I enjoyed being around people.
But when you do something for a long time, people get to know you.
They know if you show up, if you are fair, and if you know how to handle yourself.
I think my way of dealing with people was a big part of why I was chosen.
The Senior Summer Games were special because the athletes there still loved being part of the game. They were older, but they still wanted to compete, stay active, and be around people.
I have always believed that getting older does not mean you stop having something to offer. People still want to be involved. They still want to have a purpose. They still want to get out and enjoy themselves.
Baseball Was Never Just About the Game
When I look back on my years umpiring baseball and slo-pitch, I don’t just think about the games. I think about the people I met along the way and the time I spent around a lot of good folks.
I was behind the plate for over 25 years, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Sure, there were times when people disagreed with my calls, but that is part of sports. People care about the game. They want to win.
To me, umpiring was never just about calling balls and strikes. It was about being around people and being part of something. I have always been the type of guy who likes talking to people, getting to know them, and helping out when I can.
Over those years, you meet all kinds of personalities. You have guys who take every game seriously and want to win more than anything. You have guys who are just happy to be out there with their buddies, having a few laughs and enjoying the day.
You get to know people when you are around them for that long. You start to understand how they are, how they handle things, and what kind of person they are.
You Have to Understand Where People Are Coming From
Anyone who has played sports knows that everybody sees things differently.
The pitcher thinks the ball was a strike. The batter thinks it was outside. The coach thinks the call should have gone the other way. Everybody has their own opinion.
As an umpire, you learn pretty quickly that you are never going to make everyone happy. That is just the reality of it.
My job was to pay attention, know the rules, and make the best call I could. Sometimes people agreed with me, and sometimes they did not. That comes with the territory.
I never took it personally when someone got upset. Most of the time, people were just frustrated because they cared about the game. They were not upset because they had something against me. They were just caught up in the moment.
The way I always looked at it was that there was no reason to make a bad situation worse.
You can disagree with someone and still treat them properly. You can stand by your decision without making someone feel like they don’t matter.
I think that is also why I have always been able to get along with different types of people. Whether it was on the ball field, at work, or just helping someone out, I have always tried to listen and understand where people are coming from.
Umpiring Taught Me How to Deal With People
A lot of people probably think being an umpire is just about knowing the rule book. The bigger part is dealing with people.
You have to know when someone is just frustrated and needs a minute. You have to know when someone is looking for an answer and when someone just wants to argue. You have to stay calm even when someone else is not.
If someone had a question, I would talk to them. If someone was upset, I would try to settle things down. There was no reason to turn everything into a bigger problem.
When you spend years dealing with different people, you learn that everyone is different. Some people need a little patience. Some people just need someone to listen. Some people might be having a bad day, and you don’t always know what is going on behind the scenes.
I have always had a soft spot for the elderly. I think they deserve respect and patience because everyone gets to a point where they need a little more help. Whether it is spending time with my dad, helping my parents, or just talking with someone who needs a hand, I have always believed you treat people the way you would want to be treated.
The Same Way of Doing Things Followed Me Through My Career
When I think about my years working as a Construction Safety Officer, there are a lot of similarities between that work and umpiring.
In both cases, people depended on you.
You had to pay attention. You had to do things properly. You had to think about how your actions affected the people around you.
When you work in safety, you learn pretty quickly that little things matter. Cutting corners is not an option because someone could get hurt.
I carried that same thinking with me outside of work.
Whether I was on a job site, behind home plate, helping a neighbour, or spending time with my family, I always tried to do things the right way.
I am not saying I have always been perfect because nobody is. I have had good days and bad days like anyone else.
But I have always tried to be fair, help when I can, and treat people properly.
That is really what having a good bedside manner comes down to. You don’t need fancy words or some big speech. You just need to listen, have some patience, and show people that you care.
I Am Glad I Was Part of It
When I think about my years umpiring, the thing I remember most is not the calls or the games.
It is the people. It is the conversations, the laughs, and the friendships that came from being around the sport for so many years.
Being selected for the Senior Summer Games was something I appreciated, but I think the best part was simply being involved and being around good people.
I have always been a pretty simple guy. I worked hard, I tried to help people when I could, and I tried to treat people the right way.
That is how I have always looked at life.
Whether you are standing behind home plate, working a job, helping a neighbour, or spending time with family, it does not take much to be decent to people.
Sometimes that is all someone needs.