Making the right call
Published 2:07 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
NORTH BEND – In the world of Little League umpires, Jim Brooks has hit a home run.
The North Bend resident, who has spent more than two decades volunteering as an umpire for Little League, has been selected by the international sports organization to be one of 16 umpires to officiate the Little League World Series, to be held Aug. 17-26 in Williamsport, Penn., and televised across the country on ESPN and ABC.
Little League was founded in 1939 in Williamsport by Carl Stotz. Since that time, it has spread to more than 100 countries around the globe. Former players include basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, actor Tom Selleck and current President George W. Bush, who this year turned part of the White House lawn into a baseball field.
Brooks moved to North Bend in 1979. He first became involved with the Snoqualmie Valley Little League as a coach, but a need for umpires prompted him to don a mask and blue uniform.
Brooks played baseball when he was a child, but, he added, “I played a little. I was terrible.”
“It seems like all the volunteers were terrible at playing Little League,” he said with a smile, and quickly added, “But it’s a great organization.”
He said the difference between Little League and other youth baseball leagues like Babe Ruth and Hap Dumont is that there are no restrictions to joining Little League.
“You can’t turn away kids,” he said.
A driver for Normanbrook Farm, Brooks said he likes being a volunteer for Little League. The walls of his house are adorned with hundreds of Little League pins from teams all over America.
“In a small community, just the volunteerism is exciting,” he said. “You don’t get that in a big city.”
The Snoqualmie Valley Little League is one of 14 leagues that comprise Washington District 9, which includes much of the Eastside of King County. About 15,000 children play on teams in District 9, one of 11 districts in the state of Washington.
In order to officiate at the Little League World Series, an umpire must earn his or her way. Over the years, Brooks has been tapped to officiate various tournaments at the district and state levels. He umpired at the Little League regional tournament in San Bernadino, Calif., in 1994, which serves as the last qualifying round for teams before the World Series each year in Williamsport.
He has also officiated the Big League Softball World Series, one of 11 divisions for boys’ and girls’ baseball and softball in the Little League organization.
While this is his first time as an umpire at the Little League World Series, Brooks has been a fixture for several years. He and a friend are known for dressing up in matching costumes and selling ice cream to players and fans. In Williamsport, he’s had the chance to meet notables such as big leaguers Harold Reynolds and Orel Hershiser, as well as Kevin Costner, whose baseball films include “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham.”
John Chadwick, who supervises District 9, said having an umpire from his district selected to officiate at the Little League World Series is “very, very rare.”
“Jim has given lots of hours for Little League,” Chadwick said. “He earned this spot.”
Chadwick recommended to regional Little League officials that Brooks be chosen to umpire at Williamsport. He said recommending an umpire is not a task done lightly.
“We don’t recommend people unless they are well-qualified. Our standards are high,” he said, adding that Brooks’ selection is also a distinction for the district.
“It’s an honor for the district that the region feels he is qualified to go to the showcase,” Chadwick said.
Andy Konyar of the Little League office in Williamsport said there are “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds” of umpires who have the potential to be selected for the World Series. Being named to the list of those officiating this year’s schedule of 32 games is the highest honor for those Little League volunteers.
“It takes an awful lot to finally get the call to come here to the Little League World Series,” he said. “I’m sure the length of his dedicated volunteer service has something to do with [Brooks being selected], but the ability also had an awful lot to do with it.”
That ability will be put to the test in August, when the best of the best descend upon the Little League complex in Williamsport.
“They’re from all over the world,” Brooks said of the players. “What an experience.” Watching the opening ceremonies, he said, “gives you goosebumps.”
Viewers from across the country will watch Brooks officiate games with a crew of umpires, just like the major leagues. And 40,000 spectators will swell the large stadium for the championship game, to be broadcast on ABC.
Konyar said his goal is to make the umpires feel as comfortable as possible under the spotlight.
“My biggest challenge is to relax them and make them leave here 10 days later with memories that will last a lifetime,” he said.
Brooks said he’s glad his family will have the opportunity to attend the World Series and watch him do something he loves. And when he comes back, he’ll still be involved with Little League.
“My allegiance to Little League is strong,” he said. “The volunteer part is really important to me.”
When asked why he thinks Little League is such an important part of Brooks’ life, Chadwick said it centers around one thing: the kids.
“I think he just enjoys the kids having fun, and this is his way of being there with the kids having fun,” he said.
