Interview with a Little League World Series Umpire

Larry Brewer is an 18-year volunteer Little League Umpire who has been selected to work the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. We spoke to him about what it takes to be a Little League umpire—and just how umpires decide on their ‘strike zone.’

How did you get started as a Little League umpire? Just watching games as a parent and thinking the umpires were doing a terrible job. (Laughs) Thinking ‘I can do better than that.’ It’s harder than it looks. Believe me.

How does an umpire get selected to work the Little League World Series? It’s a long process and a lucky process. First of all there’s qualification. You’ve got to do so many state, district, and sectional tournaments. After you do the regional you put in for the Little League World Series and hopefully you get it. It takes some luck and skill. A lot of people deserve to go. I just got lucky.

Do you Little League umpires call the ‘high strike’ like they do in the majors? (Laughs) The strike zone varies from day to day. I tend to call more of a low strike than a high strike. That’s a personal thing—more than a legislative thing. Most kids are taught to stay off the high pitch. So I don’t want to penalize them.

I’ve always wondered—when umpiring—do you visualize an imaginary strike zone. What is the process for calling balls and strikes? I line up my eyes with what I call the top of the strike zone. I know if my eyes have to go up, I call it a ball. I work a slot where I can see the outside corner of the plate. We’re trained to watch the ball with our eyes and not move our head. Also we’re trained to watch the ball into the glove. Don’t call the pitch too soon.

What’s your favorite Little League memory? My friend and fellow umpire Tom McGorty were doing the regional tournament in Indianapolis in 1999. It was covered by ESPN. I was behind the plate and Tom was doing first base. And we decided before the game that if I needed to go to Tom for a call he would take ‘three steps’ before making the call. So I go to him and I forget about the ‘three steps.’ And he’s walking around and I’m waiting for the call. And I think he’s just strolling around. We looked pretty funny on TV. We still laugh about it today.

Comments

[tlbrew]

I want you to know that Larry is my husband and I'm very proud of him and all that he does for the Little League. Way to go Larry!!!

[Buckhead]

Here is comments from another LLWS umpire

http://blip.tv/file/1150579/