Umpiring is hard, and often thankless. Even when you do everything right and make the right call, half the people are upset with you. The other day, my daughter asked me if I won my baseball game. I smiled and told her yes, I always win. Even the slowest and most poorly played games are a gift. I win my baseball games because I get to be on a baseball field and make money. 

Sometimes baseball is extra special. I have had the opportunity to umpire in several professional ballparks. They are polar opposites of the dusty, lumpy, rocky fields that I have spent years of my life umpiring on. There was always one local park I wanted to umpire, but I thought it was out of reach. Last weekend, I reached the best local ballpark and it was magnificent. I was selected to umpire a high school game as part of Big League Weekend at Great American Ballpark. 

I arrived extra early for my game. Normally I get to the field half an hour to an hour before first pitch. This time I was an hour and a half early. Why not? The opportunity to umpire at Great American Ball Park does not come very often. After going through security I was taken to the umpire lockers room. The game ahead of mine was still going on so I sat in the Third Base dugout. I have sat in dozens of dugouts, but this was the best. Technically there is nothing special about the field, the dugout, or the game. However, this was a moment when the long hours and days I have dedicated to umpiring give something back to me. The Major Leagues are a destination for every baseball fan, and getting to step onto a Major League diamond gave me a special sense of accomplishment. 

Stepping onto a Major League diamond is truly amazing. The grass seems greener. The baseballs seem whiter. How can you not be excited for such an opportunity? It was also an opportunity to share with my family. My wife and daughters sacrifice a lot so “Daddy can go to baseball”. Sitting in the dugout I saw my wife walking down the steps with our oldest daughter and my mom walking down with our youngest daughter. I had explained to my daughters that this was a special game and I wanted them to come watch. My mom got up at 3:30 AM to drive to Cincinnati for the game. While it was just another high school baseball game, it was special because of the surroundings and the people. 

Squatting behind the plate, I quickly focused. This was another high school game. I needed to focus. The teams had worked hard to position themselves for the upcoming state playoffs. I needed to work equally hard to ensure the game was called correctly. After watching a few warm up pitches, the surroundings faded away. It was just another baseball game. 

The biggest differences on the field were the echoes. The mostly empty stadium echoed each time the bat and ball met. Additionally, there were two times that batters connected with the sweet spot. Off the bat, I thought both had a chance to clear the fences. I was wrong. Even with metal bats the baseball came back to Earth short of the warning track. It was a moment of understanding just how strong professional baseball players are and how hard they hit with wood bats. At the start of the 7th inning, the game was all but over. I finally gave myself a moment to soak in the ballpark. After cleaning off the plate I looked at the grandstand behind the plate. I have sat in the cheap seats dozens of times, but the view from the field was staggering. I knew those seats were high up, but I failed to realize just how high. The stands just kept going up, up, and up. Great American Ball Park is one of my favorite places to watch a baseball game. Standing on the field transported me to a different realm. The hours and years spent working to become a better umpire. The time away from my family. The miles driven. In that moment every struggle was worth it just to stand on a Major League diamond and call the game. 

Baseball is a hard game. It is unforgiving. You can have the game of your life one day, and the next you can be humbled. Umpiring has given me an outlet. It has kept me close to baseball. I have learned so much about the game. I have met incredible people. I have been paid to watch outstanding players compete against one another. Through it all, I have poured my blood, sweat, and tears into baseball. There are moments when all of those deposits are returned. Standing on a Major League diamond, with my family watching, baseball loved me back. It was a gift from baseball. 

DJ