Female Umpire, 2007, by Randy Summers
From MemoryArchive
Who: Ria Cortesio What: Female Umpire When: October 31, 2007 Where: The Minor Leagues
It was just an item in the newspaper last week with her photograph. She received word that she will not be returning as a professional baseball umpire. As a former catcher myself, it is safe to say that I have had a few conversations with those brave folks, called Ump, who whether vocationally or avocationally, follow the calling of someone who literally and absolutely makes judgment calls. (Of course, I was a Little League player, and I never made it anywhere near as far as pro ball.)
Take one of the one famous third strikes in the history of the game: the last pitch of Don Larsen's Perfect Game. I have read variously that the pitch was actually a ball. I have read that it was actually a swing and a miss. Whatever - the historical fact is that home-plate umpire Babe Pinelli put his arm up, yelling, "Strike Three!" - and even though time itself appeared to stop for a couple of milliseconds there, that was that. Dale Mitchell, the Dodgers pinch hitter with a liftime batting average over .300, had struck out. The ball was securely in Yankee catcher Yogi Berra's hand. The game was over. No jumping up or down by any Yankee on the field. Don Larsen attempted to walk nonchalantly back to the dugout. He knew that next time around Dale Mitchell could easily take him downtown. No showing up the batter. No silly display. But the game was over and it is still the only perfect game, let alone no-hitter, in the history of baseball's World Series.
I think I know why Ria Cortesio went into umpiring. And, it is not for the money. It is for the love of the game. How many "games" are called "the national pasttime," anyway? Somebody like Ria must be listened to, and not only when she says "Ball" or "Strike" - besides baseball, she has connections to Rice University, to the old Astrodome, to baseball out-of-doors in the American South in July and August (no place for for sissies!), and of course knowing how to put on a decent Halloween costume. Joan Jett rocks, so does Ria! Don't forget she got criticized by a pretty famous owner. In the meantime, I hope she is getting more supportive emails from fans than she has time to answer.
Click up the link: http://www.miamiherald.com/857/story/291264.html
Randy Summers
