Time to retire

[mrumpiresir]

  I'm 64 years old and can't continue mostly due to a bad case of arthritis in an ankle. It is just too painful.  I started umpiring at 41 and enjoyed all I have learned about the game and the experience of officiating.  I have done mostly high school and American Legion ball.  I worked high school playoff games in two sates and did some high level adult ball, similar to college summer ball.  I hope to maybe do a few games this summer, but nowhere near the 180 games I did last year.

 

I will continue to lurk on these boards.  I usually only post when something totally wrong is stated or I have an experience relevant to the OP.

 

So, to all of you out there,  Keep up the good work.  Strive to be your best every day.

 

Alan

[maninblack69]

Sorry to hear this, Alan. I know it'll come to an end for all of us at some point, just sad when it does. I'm glad you'll still be able to work a few games during the summer though and be around the boards still. Best wishes and good luck in your future endeavors!

[blue23ll]

Sorry to hear this Alan. There are lots of ways you can continue to contribute, train, evaluate, mentor, the list is long. It would be a shame to lose an experienced veteran's knowledge.

[Umpire in Chief]

Keep visiting us. Perhaps you can be involved by evaluating other umpires.

[mrumpiresir]

You will see me on the boards.  I will probably have more time on my hands now and will find a way to stay in the game.

 

Thanks to all for the kind thoughts.

[BigUmpire]

Find 2-4 young umpires and mentor them.

[FearNot]

My Dad is 68 and his favorite line has been..... Getting old sucks!.

 

Hope things go easy for you and that you stay involved.

[Stan W.]

Alan, I hope this is a short lived retirement..........always appreciated your involvement on the boards !...looking forward to many more posts......

[SJA]

Find 2-4 young umpires and mentor them.

Excellent suggestion . . .

SJA :-)

[jjb]

Alan: we've never met, and you have no idea who I am, but we're paddling the same canoe. My health has been on the downside, and I'm not in any condition to work the same games I was used to back in the "old days".

 

What I want to tell you is that you're not finished. yet. I can almost guarantee that, when you were a snot-nosed rookie, somebody was there to kick you in the ass and tell you to cover third. You listened, you did it, and it made you a better Umpire. Now, it's your turn.

 

Get out there, find a League who doesn't have a good Youth Umpire Training Program, volunteer and start one. You're former military, you know how to instruct: get out there and do it. I promise you, you will get just as much satisfaction by seeing one of your "kids" slide up and bang out a runner, than you got when you did it yourself. I've got former 14 year old kids of mine who went off to college and are working all over, who email me and tell me how they're working leagues just about everywhere. It's the way it's supposed to work.....

 

You got a lot from Umpiring in your career, brother.....now give it back.......

 

jim