National Post (National Edition)

Nothing small about umps’ Little League task

Calgarian says assignment ‘pretty special’

- RITA MINGO Special to Postmedia News

CALGARY • It isn’t just players who yearn for the big stage.

The officials, referees, linesmen, the umpires do as well.

So when Brad Johnston got an opportunit­y to set up behind the plate at the Little League World Series U.S. final game in Williamspo­rt, Pa., over the weekend, he was as excited as the young guys out in the field.

“Absolutely,” the 36-yearold Calgarian said. “You want to be the guy that gets called at the end. Most officials would go into it with that mindset. I know I certainly do. You want to be the one there at the end that they trust to get the big assignment. It means a lot to get those calls. The prize is the opportunit­y to work the game.

“For anyone who hasn’t been there, it’s one of those completely unique sporting venues. The grounds are something else and to see the atmosphere created, it’s pretty special.”

Johnston worked the U.S. final, a come-from-behind 6-5 win for the team from Lufkin, Texas, over Greenville, N.C. Lufkin went on to the championsh­ip game, where it was soundly beaten by the Tokyo Kitasuna 12-2.

Only three Canadians had previously umpired either a semifinal or final in the 71-year history of the Little League World Series. During the two-week tournament, Johnston appeared in 11 games. He described the process of being selected for one of the four annual major Little League championsh­ips.

“Well, be a good volunteer, show that you’re a pretty good umpire,” he said. “In Canada, we actually have an evaluation system where you have to achieve a certain mark at a Canadian championsh­ip the previous year. All the guys who achieve that mark get put into a pool and then our national umpire committee selects those four umpires.

“I was picked by a committee of my peers, if you will, based on my performanc­e last season. I’ve been at it a long time. I’m 36, I started when I was 13, so this is season 24 for me.” Calgary-based umpire Brad Johnston worked the Little League World Series U.S. final over the weekend.

Originally from Oakville, Ont., Johnston came to Calgary in 2009 and continued his umpiring career. Besides Little League, he works games for Baseball Alberta and the Western Major Baseball League. He’s a crew chief in the WMBL, where he does about half the Okotoks Dawgs home games.

His other big volunteer position is national umpire co-ordinator for Canada, which he has held since 2012.

But getting to do the Little League World Series, an event that is watched all over the globe, was particular­ly special.

“I think the announced attendance was 26-something thousand,” Johnston said. “That’s a lot of people. It’s the ABC-TV game, televised all across North America, and I’m sure Japan picked it up and Korea. Not just another game. But you approach it the same.

“In terms of pressure or scrutiny, you don’t feel it too bad. You hear the odd thing, because you can’t not. It wasn’t too bad. More people just means more noise, but not necessaril­y understand­able noise.”

In the Williamspo­rt stadium, the competing teams’ supporters are just behind their respective dugouts, so most of the commentary — good or bad — is typically reserved for those areas.

“That’s where the real groans come from,” Johnston said, wryly. “The other side of it, Little League baseball is very accommodat­ing and they preach sportsmans­hip and you don’t really hear too much. They do a very good job of creating a positive atmosphere.”

After this high-profile assignment, it’s more of same for Johnston.

“I’m not going to venture out to do minor-league ball in Tennessee somewhere for $1,500 a month, not that I wouldn’t enjoy it ... ,” Johnston, who works for the provincial government, said with a laugh.

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