There is no real softball game without the Umpire. In Albany, Frank, Bobby, and Willie are the tight team who make Albany Softball run on the clock, calling and managing the games. Their jobs are tough – they watch 20 people on the field all at once, running, shouting, throwing, while making calls on pitches, and half hearing spectators cheer and distract. They work three games in a row, four nights a week, in the cold and heat, without a break.
I had a chance to talk to Willie and Bobby about what inspires their game. Willie has been an Ump for 24 years. He loves sports – all sports, and has all his life. He loves the competition between the players and the comraderie between the fraternity of the Umps. He is inspired by the challenge of knowing all the rules. He is a strong voice on the field, heard all the way into the outfield.
Bobby has been an Ump for 16 years. He loves that the office is outdoors, not stuck in a cubicle. He loves meeting the players, who come from all walks of life. Bobby not just Umps softball, but also oversees basketball, soccer, and volleyball. In his younger days, he was a basketball champ, and still has a passion for B-ball.
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Frank is the Master, with a firm, but relaxed call to the game. Frank has been an Ump forever, and has earned the respect of all the players. Frank is also a champion horseman, rider, trainer, and competator. His dedication to respectful sport is a lifestyle.
You can meet the Umps any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday or Friday night at Ocean View Park ball field, from April – November.
