Well, I have run out of stories in my memory bank. So, this will be my last column. I have enjoyed sharing my very fond, and some not-so-fond memories with you.

Among other things, I hope readers got to see the officiating of high school athletics from a different perspective. That they better appreciate the hard work and study officials do to “get it right.” Also, I hope they realize that when we “get it wrong” it bothers us a lot.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about events from my 53-year officiating career. To the best of my knowledge, I officiated for 136 different high schools, 14 junior high schools, 10 elementary schools, and an estimated 20 colleges. I want to thank my golf buddy, Greg Awtry, (who often appears on the editorial page) for suggesting I “write a book” and for hooking me up with Justin Hinkley at the Alpena News who thought my stories were worth being in print.

Over the years I had the pleasure of umpiring in the high school state baseball finals, not once, but twice and umpiring, and being Umpire in Chief, in the National Pony League finals. I refereed many district basketball games for both boys and girls and one recently described girls’ regional final. I refereed seven first-round football playoff games and one second-round game. I umpired for at least one (and probably more) players who made it to the major leagues and many who played in college.

I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with players, coaches, and other officials. I, again, must thank my beautiful wife of 62 years for putting up with early dinners, late dinners, and no dinners. With me leaving her alone or with the kids three and four nights a week for me to pursue my avocation. Especially for her worry and prayers about my drive home alone late at night through Northeast Michigan deer country. Although, she will admit the extra money came in handy.

I am also proud that I never let my officiating career cause me to miss any of my two sons’ events. My older son, Mark, was a high school swimmer and my younger son, Scott, played high school soccer. I am sure I did not see a few of their away games or meets, but it was never because I was off officiating.

I am proud that I had several of my former students become officials including the late Brian Schultz, who was my baseball partner for many years, and Dennis Wildey. Especially, another of my partners and former student, Rick Havercroft, who played on the ninth-grade basketball team that I coached. Rick still umpires NCAA Division I softball. I got Rick’s sister, Laura Havercroft Clem to start umpiring and she still umpires softball where she lives in Alabama.

I love that I have a few people who I umpired for who read my column on Facebook and comment back to me. Particularly, Matt Peterson who played at Saginaw Eisenhower and had the best eye for the strike zone of any batter I knew. If I called a strike on him that was half an inch outside, I got a dirty look. I also hear from Mike Gnatkowski, also from Saginaw Eisenhower who is in the Alma College Hall of Fame as a pitcher. Mike had the best right-handed curveball I saw in my career. I already mentioned Chip DeGrace who played three sports at Saginaw Carrollton and has a place near me on Hubbard Lake. I also share my column on Facebook with a website from the high school where I taught and get thumbs up and comments from many of my former students.

I could not finish without mentioning some officials who I worked with over the years. There were obviously hundreds and it’s impossible to list or remember them all. I won’t list many from my years in the Saginaw area as News readers wouldn’t know them, but I have to name a few. My first crew: Jim Gallagher, Jerry Hunt, and the late Chuck Turner. Also, from my Saginaw days, Bud Clement and his late brother, Jim, Hogey Holtz, Mike Lutenske, Jeff Yorke (who is now superintendent of schools in Hale), the late Cecil Doster, Dennis Wildey, and Ron Stelter.

I would like to thank Tom Atkinson who, as former Athletic Director at Alpena High School, made contacts to get me started in Alpena. I was privileged to work on two different football crews in Alpena. My first crew included at one time or another, Dave Kuznicki, Jon Emerson, John Anderson, Phil Heath, and Dr. Tom Bracken. My final crew had Terry King, Mark Uekman, Scott McKenzie, Mike Grulke, Eric McKenzie, and Roger Wenzel on it at one time.

In baseball and softball in Alpena, I enjoyed working with Garrett LaFave, Mike Bowden, Kara Gehrke, Ed LaVergne, Roger Wenzel, Mike Grulke, and Shawn Ballor among others.

As a final note, I continue to encourage recent high school graduates who would like to keep involved to consider becoming an official. If you send me an email at the address below I would love to help you get registered and started. And, if you are interested in umpiring baseball or softball, I have a well-used but very serviceable set of plate equipment (mask, shin guards, chest protector, plate brush) that I would give you to get you started.