HELENA — With spring finally taking bloom, the fields are turning greener and warm-weather sports are kicking off.
But baseball and softball teams across Montana are running into a big problem: not enough umpires.
“Gotta have officials to play the game, gotta have 'em,” said umpire Ben Wahl.
An umpire’s job is to know the rules, call balls and strikes, safe and out, and keep it fair for everyone. Without them, ball games just can’t happen.
It’s not a problem in only one league, either. From American Legion to youth softball to high school baseball, umpires are spread thin. It’s not uncommon for them to travel to different cities to call a game.
“There's times where we do have to travel to other areas of the state to help them out,” said Montana High School Association umpire assigner Jack Hocking. “They come to our area of the state to help us out.”
Baseball and softball seasons usually run from April through July, and each game needs at least two umpires, one behind home plate and one in the field.
Some teams play multiple games each week, sometimes even multiple games on the same day, and there just aren’t enough officials to go around — so games get postponed or canceled.
“It’s always a struggle to fill all those games,” said Helena Girls Softball Association vice president Wes Hendrix. “We’ve had nights where schedules and things don’t come together. I’ve had to fill in even myself just on random nights to make the game happen.”
Recruiting new umpires isn’t easy. It’s asking people to take time away from their families, and even traveling over an hour to officiate. Then there’s the equipment, as not all leagues provide their umpires with protective gear, raising costs out of pocket.
“There are some sports that cost quite a bit of money to get into those sports,” Hocking continued. “Unfortunately, softball and baseball are two of those sports.”
One thing that isn’t needed to volunteer is specific baseball or softball experience. There are clinics around the state to get new umpires up to speed on the rules. Organizers hope to see more parents and former athletes gearing up to support their athletes.
“If anyone has got any experience with any sort of sport, it really helps, and I really think a lot of people would love it if they just gave it a shot,” Wahl said.
Officials and fellow umpires are holding a softball umpire clinic on Sunday at noon at Mihelish Field in Helena for anyone interested in getting involved.
