MadMax

Sweet Sixteen! Yes, I'm now on my sixteenth year of umpiring here in 2024. Signed onto my sixth NorthWoods League season, I am a League Supervisor. 

As of 2022, I'm officially a Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School graduate! 👨‍🎓

Otherwise, I call Phoenix my short-term residence, having moved there 6 years ago – from frigid Wisconsin – at the encouragement of @KenBAZ (AKA The Outreach Ambassador of Baseball Officiating in the Desert) and several other colleagues to do “more and better baseball”. I have the "more" covered, now calling 400+ games per year, and have been blessed with better quality of baseball, often called in to do MLB/MiLB Spring Training Games, college, high school, and showcase games.

I am a founding member of the Vultures, a group of umpire colleagues who share mentorship, development, and evaluation of each other and take a “honor among thieves” approach to assignment opportunities. It is completely different than conventional associations. If anyone would like more information regarding the “vulture concept”, please PM me.

Around U-E, I’m known as being a gear tinkerer, as it plays into my other career work as an environmental designer & renovator. I’ve turned my hand at several occupations, and have worked as a graphic, web, product, and furniture designer. Outside of baseball, I also officiate soccer and hockey, as well as still mountain bike (nothing as extensive as @Majordave), windsurf, and snowboard.