Published: July 06, 2008 12:58 am            

DISTRICT V: LIttle League umpire does it for the kids

Life as a Little League umpire can be pretty rough at times.

You have to make close calls in a split second, withstand the sultry weather of the summer months and put up with spectators who will dispute every call you make.

For Clarksville native Justin Farr, he has endured all those things as a Little League umpire for eight years.

But the 21-year-old keeps doing it for one reason — the love the Little Leaguers have for the game.

“Without a doubt, it’s the passion of the kids. You block out the parents,” said Farr, who is umpiring this month’s District V tournaments at Charlestown Little League Park. “Their passion keeps me doing it. There is nothing like seeing the kids play.”

Later this summer, Farr will get a chance to see more passionate kids play in a very prestigious tournament.

The Ball State University senior-to-be will umpire the Central Region Tournament in the 11-12 softball division in Joplin, Mo., July 28-Aug. 2.

It will be the first region tournament Farr has ever umpired. In order to be eligible for the tournament, Farr had to officiate at least one state tournament (he has done five in his career). To apply to umpire the region tourney, he had to submit a letter of recommendation from the state tournament director and his district administrator.

A Little League umpire board then approved his application, earning him the trip to Missouri.

“It’s huge. I’ll be one of the youngest umpires to step on a region field,” said Farr, who said the majority of the region umpires are middle-aged.

If Farr performs well at region, he has a great shot of being on the umpiring crew for the 11-12 softball Little League World Series next year.

“To think, next year I could be at the World Series at 22,” Farr said in astonishment while thinking about that possibility.

Even though Farr will not get paid to umpire the tournament because he is a volunteer, he will have his food and lodging expenses reimbursed by region tournament organizers.

Farr says he has been given free food by past state tournament organizers, whether it is at a restaurant or the concession stand.

“Even if it is concession-stand hot dogs, that’s fine with me. That’s free food,” Farr said.

Like all umpires, Farr has several memories to reminisce about — like when he umpired the 11-12 softball state tournament last year, won by Silver Creek Little League.

“I was at first base and I called the last out for my home district team. That was pretty cool,” Farr said.

Farr has also had his share of injuries in his umpiring career. At last year’s District V tournament in Sellersburg, Farr was accidentally hit by an errant pitch during a 9-10 baseball division game. When he turned to talk to the official scorekeeper, he got plunked in the head by the pitch, suffering a concussion.

He also got another concussion when he collided with a 10-year-old female catcher a while back.

“Next year, I’m going for an 11-year-old,” Farr quipped.

Farr has developed some thick skin in his eight seasons as an ump, especially with unhappy fans. He has learned how to tune out those onlookers.

“If you’re going to umpire, you can’t have rabbit ears,” Farr said. “You learn to block them out. It’s part of the job.”



FARR’S UMPIRING CAREER

Clarksville High School graduate Justin Farr, 21, has been a baseball and softball umpire for eight years. He started umpiring when he was 13 years old, overseeing minor softball games.

In his career, Farr has umpired Little League players from ages 9-18. He has also umpired high school and college baseball games.

Farr, who will be senior at Ball State this fall with a major in athletic training, is umpiring his sixth District V tournament this summer. He has also officiated five state tournaments in his career.

From July 28-Aug. 2, Farr will umpire his first-ever region tournament, which will be the 11-12 softball Central Region Tournament in Joplin, Mo. If he performs well, he has a shot at umpiring the 11-12 softball Little League World Series next year.

— Staff writer Kevin Harris

        

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