MLB umpire Ed Montague shared stories from the big leagues at Sunday’s clinic. Marty James photo
Locals learn from best at umpire clinic
By Marty James
SPECIAL TO THE WEEKLY CALISTOGAN
Andrew Risley has umpired local Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, American Legion and high school baseball.
In April of 2010, he hopes to be umpiring somewhere in the minor leagues.
“I want to work in the big leagues,” said Risley. “I like to be around the game. I was never that great of a ballplayer, but I always had a good grasp of the rules. I always had my head in the game.”
Risley, a 2007 Napa High School graduate, was one of 46 umpires who took part Sunday in a fall clinic, presented by the Napa Valley Umpires Association at Justin-Siena High School.
It was a day-long comprehensive clinic for baseball umpires of all amateur levels and featured a presentation by Greg Schmitz, an NCAA Division I umpire and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction at De La Salle High School-Concord, and a talk by Ed Montague, a major league umpire who has worked the World Series in 1986, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007, serving as crew chief on the last four occasions.
“This has been a great morning and a wonderful afternoon,” said Larry Baracco, a former Napa Babe Ruth League president, who umpires Joe DiMaggio, America Legion and Babe Ruth games. “We’ve gotten a nice turnout. Everybody is getting on the same page, learning the same kind of mechanics, hearing the great stories from Ed Montague. Greg Schmitz put on an excellent overview.”
The clinic was a refresher on umpiring skills and an opportunity to pick up new ideas, new skills or a new understanding of rules applications, both from the clinic faculty and fellow umpires.
Besides Schmitz, the faculty included Steve Meyer, a coach and umpire for over 35 years and the president of Joe DiMaggio League Baseball; George Slinsen, who has over 20 years of umpiring experience, from Little League Baseball through high school, DiMaggio and Legion; Mike LaPolla, who has over 25 years of experience umpiring youth baseball and adult leagues; Doug Butt, an umpire for 36 years who has worked the California State American Legion Championships at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville since 1992; and Jim Boyd, an umpire since 1993.
“Today, it’s just about re-learning a lot of stuff, to remind ourselves,” said Slinsen.
The afternoon session covered on-field mechanics drills and practical applications.
“It was nice to get (Montague’s) insights and nice to talk to somebody that has done it on such a high level,” said Slinsen.
Montague, a Bay Area resident, talked about his background in pro baseball and getting the call to the major leagues at the young age of 24 for a San Diego Padres-San Francisco Giants series at Candlestick Park in 1974.
He was a minor league umpire for four years, assigned first to the Class A California League and then to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. His appearance here was arranged by George Torassa, a Justin-Siena assistant baseball coach, who was signed to a pro contract as a catcher with the Giants by Montague’s father, Ed Montague, a major league player and scout.
Torassa was named to the All-State team for St. Ignatius College Prep-San Francisco, and after being drafted in the seventh round by San Francisco in 1977, played four years in the minors for the Giants.
Torassa was a highly honored player at St. Ignatius, earning the West Catholic Athletic League MVP and being named to the All-Northern California team. He was selected to the California All-Star team for a series against Oklahoma in Tulsa and was named as the MVP of the series.
“This is how this all came together,” said Montague, who fielded a number of questions.
Montague, a major league umpire for 34 years, is getting physical therapy and receiving acupuncture after suffering a concussion and being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his neck early on in the 2009 season. He hasn’t umpired a game since May.
“I want to get to where I can play golf and do things that I like to do,” he said. “I’ve been hit so many times over the years. I’m not sure about next year.”
He said he learned about the game from older, more experienced umpires in the PCL.
“I didn’t say much. I learned through some great umpires, older umpires. I just sat there and watched and listened and learned. I was lucky — timing is everything.”
Montague worked in the National League in 1974 and from 1976 to 1999, and has officiated throughout both leagues since 2000. The most senior active umpire in the major leagues, he has worn uniform No. 11 throughout his career.
Montague also umpired in the All-Star Game in 1982, 1990, 1998 and 2004. In 2004 he became the first umpire to work behind the plate for the entire All-Star Game and serve as crew chief in the World Series in the same season. He became an NL crew chief in 1996.
“It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve met so many guys coming up through the big leagues,” he said. “Hustling on the field is key — knowing the short cuts, being in the right position.
“The umpires that I’ve worked with and known, nobody ever feels worse than an umpire when he makes a mistake. I’ve lived with it. I remember my dad always saying, ‘Leave it at the ballpark.’ It’s very hard to leave it at the ballpark. It kind of eats at you and you remember stuff. But then there were a lot of good calls.”
Early next year, Risley will leave town and go to the Wendelstedt Umpire School in Ormond Beach, Fla. The school starts on Jan. 3 and concludes on Feb. 7.
“I feel confident,” said Risley, 20, who attends Napa Valley College. “I’m going to go there and I’m not going to have any distractions. I’m going to work hard. Hopefully come April, I’ll be working in the low minor leagues somewhere.”
Risley has also worked the State Junior American Legion Tournament and the Keith Connelly Fourth of July Invitational at Cleve Borman Field in Yountville.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Andrew a couple of times and for his age level, he’s very, very good,” said Meyer, who is the dean of students at Justin-Siena. “I admire him for making that decision. He’s got a door open and I hope he makes the most of it.”