advertisement

Umpires missing paychecks, camaraderie spring sports bring

Jeff Collis knows at least 600 people longing to shout out, "Play Ball!"

Collis, the assignment supervisor for the Fox Valley Blues, works with athletic directors at about 100 high schools to staff baseball games from varsity to freshman levels.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, none of those games are being played this spring, sidelining all the umpires, too - along with those who work softball, soccer, lacrosse and every other high school spring sport.

For Collis and his crew, it affects employees "from Naperville to Wisconsin, Rockford to the Lake."

"There's a lot of guys out there who just miss the game," said Collis, who has been with the Blues since 1994 when they had about 40 umpires. "There's financial impacts on everybody, but the most important thing here is there's a group of 600 umpires who just miss being around the game."

Kevin Moore, from Elgin, is one of those umpires. Normally working four or five baseball games a week, Moore is adjusting to a big void.

Moore, who also officiates basketball, took a double whammy. He was set to work his first boys basketball sectional final on March 13, the Currie vs. Young matchup at Lyons, when the IHSA canceled the season the night before.

"I went from 'Oh, yeah, best sectional in the state' to nothing," said Moore, a 20-year veteran in both basketball and baseball. "It's almost like it was a wasted year for those of us trying to get downstate."

Seeing the umpires losing work is another troubling issue for athletic directors.

"We have great officials in our area that many of us get to know pretty well," Schaumburg athletic director Marty Manning said. "For them to not be able to officiate during this spring season is also very difficult to think about."

Scott Massie umpires softball games and has been for 30 years. He also works football and basketball games.

"I've always been a sports fan, I've always played and I just like to be a part of it," Massie said. "I understand what's happening in the world, it's all secondary to that, but it just feels strange. It's just strange to not be doing anything."

Well, maybe not anything. Massie said he's getting yard work finished and some projects around the house.

Three groups

Collis also assigns umpires for travel baseball. If that also is wiped out, his business will be out about 30,000 games and $2 million in umpire pay.

Collis said there's generally three types who work with the Blues, the smallest being the ones who rely on umpiring as a main source of income.

"These are primarily the young kids that come home from college and work their tails off for us in the summer and maybe make $1,000 a week umpiring baseball," Collis said. "If this continues past Memorial Day then those individuals will be impacted as well."

That group isn't as large as the umpires who do it for additional money.

"Guys who are most impacted are the ones who rely on this as a second source of income to put kids through college, help pay the bills," Collis said. "Same group of guys who work every day for 10 weeks in the spring. It's a pretty substantial loss of income for those individuals."

And then there's the umpires who simply love the sport.

"They enjoy being around the game and the camaraderie it brings not only with the fellow umpires but the coaches," Collis said. "They like giving back to the kids. There's a void there right now. It's like being out golfing. it's the kinship you have. There's a large number that fall into that bucket."

Looking ahead

Moore and Massie both fall in the middle group. The umpiring income is secondary, like season tickets for Moore's beloved Cleveland Browns.

"Certainly makes that bill a little easier," said Moore, who also was set to go to a clinic in May to officiate Division II basketball that now might not happen. "Financially everyone is in their own position of course but for the most part I use my umpire money for vacations, that kind of thing. And certainly (miss) the camaraderie."

Massie, who works most of his softball games in the North Suburban and Fox Valley conferences, said the umpires he talks with know there's much more important issues.

Collis is optimistic about the impact baseball will soon make.

"The important thing is everyone stays inside and helps flatten the curve because once this gets past us baseball just like everything else in society is going to come roaring back," Collis said. "Baseball is going to be front and center with a lot of people including myself."

RICK WEST/rwest@dailyherald.comFormer Waubonsie Valley baseball coach Dan Fezzuoglio gets down at eye level with the home plate umpire to express his displeasure with how the calls were going against his team in a game against St. Charles North. Umpires have all been sidelined this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.