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Coach Lou


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I've never been to CDP, but I can admire an American entrepreneur from afar.

I saw an umpire post on Facebook that Coach Lou passed away last night.

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If the world of baseball was an ocean, Coach Lou Presutti was an old battleship. Tough as there'll ever be, steely in his resolve, resolute in his decisions, staunch defender of baseball's youthful and quintessential lustre, shrewd and frugal in business, exacting in "transactional relationships", salty as a sea-stained barnacle, and a tour-de-force for baseball (especially his brand of baseball) wherever he went.

Since he was a battleship, kids were in awe of him. Since he was an old battleship, teens were ambivalent to him (teens are ambivalent to everyone) but respected him. Baseball classicists and purists found him over the top, but admired him.

Modern "cruisers" – all speed, power, and brimming with the latest technology – were eager to show off and potentially show him up. Most would do so with a degree of either reverence or indifference. Those that steamed in with an agenda to call the shots and blow everyone out of the water were the guys that he'd bristle at and have acerbic, terse interactions with. As a former financials guy, he had no time or tolerance for shysters. Conversely, established financiers, business-owners, and committee-sheep – people who are narrow-minded or not onboard with his vision when it comes to youth baseball – found themselves displaced in and by his wake. He ruffled feathers; locals do not like to be ruffled.

As far as umpires are concerned, Coach Lou – the old big-gun battleship – regarded them as submarines; necessary, but needing a different breed of sailor to sail. Best when unseen. The silent service. Those that had breakdowns or fancied themselves a showy surface combatant would be exposed and vulnerable on the surface, maneuvering where they don't belong. He emphasized that baseball at the (Dreams) Park was about the 12-year olds, not about the umpires. If you understood that, and passed by him on the cart path, with a knowing nod and not much else, it was good. There was a strange dynamic between Coach and the veteran umpires: it was a "If you think yourself a showboat, I'll blow you away with a single salvo; don't makes waves on my sea here" vs "Understood, but do recognize all I need is a single torpedo, and you won't see it coming," sort of mutually-assured destruction respect.

Maritime analogies aside, from observing him for 5 years, I got the sense he genuinely championed the baseball spirit in each person, regardless of gender or social standing. Maybe @Umpirechick1 can comment further on this.

CDP will continue to evolve, progress and attract great baseball, but it won't (exactly) be the same.

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Funny you mention that @MadMax, because knowing he was such a traditionalist, I had no idea how he felt about women in baseball, whether it be players, coaches or umpires.  From the first time I went to CDP he was friendly, and seemed oddly curious about how I would handle things. I know he watched some of my games, and he once told me to get on the golf cart with him and he told me I called a great game, and that I "handled the a$$hole coach very well."  He was genuine about his love of baseball and the people involved - no question about it. I had some great conversations with him in June - he gave me some advice that I'll never forget. 

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@MadMax I don't remember if you were in the dining tent when coach caught up with some of us during one of many of our rain-outs during week 4 last season.  I remember how aggravated he was that these kids, coaches, and parents were getting the shaft so bad due to that weather.  That conversation showed me in a second how much he loved the game of baseball, and no matter what the nay-sayers said, he wasn't in it for himself, he was in it for the kids.

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