- WEEKLY POLL
Umpire heads to China for World Special Olympics
By P.J. Whitman
Special to the Press
sports@presspublications.com
Paul Rufus Drake III is not just a City of Oregon maintenance worker, he also holds the title of American Softball Association Umpire-In-Chief for the State of Ohio.
Drake has been chosen to be one of four American umpires to travel to Shanghai, China this year to work the World Special Olympics Summer Games from Sept. 29 through Oct. 12.
Oregon mayor Marge Brown explains that Drake does a little of everything for the city from plowing snow to filling potholes to changing light bulbs and mowing the grass on city property, but the city will have to do without him while he’s in China.
Drake admitted that, “…the worst part of the job is to have to pick up dead animals along the street.”
His duties as lead softball umpire in the state include training and registering umpires, rule interpretation, and umpiring at tournaments ranging from youth events to Special Olympics events to top national men’s tournaments.
“Teams in the Mens’ Super Division will have players on the same team from Baltimore to Texas to anywhere. The players are paid to play. The teams receive sponsorships from bat manufacturers,” explained Drake.
The American Softball Association is likely the leading sanctioning softball organization in the nation and Drake also said the 98 percent of the rules in Ohio girls’ high school fast pitch softball come from the ASA.
The rules keep him busy, too, and there is more than just rules to being an umpire, he says.
“I receive from 4 to 15 e-mails a day about rules and other things this time of the year,” Drake said.
Drake also talks about how umpires need to present themselves so that they can be in charge of a game from even before the first pitch.
“An umpire needs to look good right off the bat. Uniform is important to an umpire, his shoes need to be shined, his shirt pressed, a good looking hat…” he said.
“The first impression for an umpire is very important. It’s also important that an umpire hustle. No one likes a lazy umpire. An umpire needs to be in the proper position to make a call. And selling the call is very important. If an umpire has good position and sells the call most people will accept the call.”
Drake has been umpiring on a regular basis since age 15 and has been calling games for 23 years. He notes that among the games he’s called was one of a team called the Metro Press some 20 years ago, noting that Press general manager and editor-in-chief John Szozda was a “pretty good” player himself and coached the team.
“He had a few guys who would make some noise, but John knew when to tell them that was enough. That’s all an umpire can ask, when a play happens that’s one thing, but when it carries over to dugout it’s too much,” said the umpire.
Being a nationally renowned Special Olympics umpire, Drake has a few stories to tell, too. In his first game as an umpire calling a men’s league game, at age 15, he called a runner out at third base for tagging up too soon on a fly ball.
“The guy picked me up and held me under shoulder. It took me a minute and a half to get myself under control and throw the guy out of the game,” Drake said with a chuckle.
Among the thrills of umpiring for Drake was to meet Eunice Shriver, sister of President John F. Kennedy, at a recent national Special Olympics event in Iowa. Shriver has helped lead the Special Olympics movement in the United States for many years.
Drake also met former Iowa senator Tom Harking, who is also active in the Special Olympics movement. Drake notes that the senator’s involvement in the Special Olympics program has renewed his own interest in umpiring.
Drake recited the telling line of the Special Olympics motto that it is not about winning or losing, “but being brave in the attempt…”
Another feature that interests Drake is his involvement is a mentoring program for Special Olympians who are capable of being officials in Special Olympic events.
Drake has formed a friendship with a man from New Jersey named Shawn who has been playing in Special Olympics and now helps officiate. Drake is now a friend of the mother of this Special Olympian and umpired games with Shawn at the National Special Olympic games in Iowa last year.
Drake also speaks of the fun and excitement of the players and the sportsmanship of the players in Special Olympics. He notes that the top players of competitive adult softball could take some lessons about sportsmanship from the Special Olympians.
“The players on Asian teams often still bow to the umpire when they come up to bat. That really impressed me.”
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