Chapter Nine: Why I’m in Texas
March 30, 2010 by Editor
Filed under Dress Blues and Tennis Shoes
April 11
I am reminded why I’m umpiring baseball games in Amarillo instead of basking on the Russian River with Donna. I work my first plate game tonight—and I’m brilliant. The energy flows unimpeded, my timing is precise. I can umpire!
The game is a rout—13-0, El Paso. No matter, for I could have handled the frigging [...]
Chapter Six: The Pursuit of Excellence
February 15, 2010 by Editor
Filed under Dress Blues and Tennis Shoes
March 24
This week’s piece of work, Fred Frazier. The second baseman for the AAA Salt Lake team is of the Billy Martin mold. Small in stature, volcanic in temperament, he exacts the utmost in patience from an umpire.
Today I am on the bases, and rookie Chuck Neisler is calling his first triple-A game behind the [...]
Chapter Five: John McSherry
January 11, 2010 by Editor
Filed under Dress Blues and Tennis Shoes
March 21
John McSherry visits us in camp today. Big John is a National League umpire, and few can imagine him doing anything else. In the off-season, he serves as chief field instructor for the umpire schools. He was Charlie’s and my instructor, and now he’s come to see us. Mostly he’s come to see Charlie. [...]