Hot Corner

Grass infield in the works for VIV Field at Summerside’s Queen Elizabeth Park

Sports columnist Joe MacIntyre takes a look at a shortage of umpires in both baseball and softball this season. MacIntyre also examines why these numbers are so low, and a big reason why it’s difficult to attract young umpires.

There is a shortage of umpires for softball and baseball right across P.E.I.

As the years go by, some of the older ones are getting out, and they are not being replaced for the simple fact that there is no one to replace them.

I had a conversation this past week with baseball umpire Kevin McKenna, who tells me there’s a real shortage across P.E.I. The reason is the younger ones coming up are not sticking with it.

McKenna thinks a big reason why is the fact that coaches will not leave them alone. They are being picked on and questioned by coaches on calls at the minor levels.

As an umpire in a local slopitch league, I can tell you first hand that we want the right call, but we are human and make mistakes.

The close calls are the ones that come into question, and they have to go one way or the other. One team is happy and the other is not with some calls, and that’s where things can turn sour in a hurry.

I recently had a game where three close calls went against one team, prompting a player to say, “He has a pick on us tonight.”

That is the farthest thing from the truth and, in fact, I wish we had replay to make sure it was the right call. It can be a tough job being an umpire. and the pay is not always the reason we are there. I can think of much easier ways to make $25, but I love being at the ballpark and the pay is a bonus.

The kids that are starting out get very minimal pay, but do need support and encouragement as they go.

Close calls trigger emotions from players, coaches and fans, and that is where those emotions need to be kept in check. It is hard sometimes, but we have to remember that quite often it is just a kid calling the balls and strikes.

They do not deserve to be ridiculed or yelled at as they are trying their best.

An umpire is, and will always be, a much-needed part of the game. We need to make sure that the younger ones are given a fair chance to succeed, and then, and only then, will the umpire shortage end.

VIV Field

According to the City of Summerside’s director of community services JP Desrosiers, the city is not quite finished with renovations to the Very Important Volunteer (VIV) Field – otherwise known as the old Little League Field.

A grass infield is in the works that could happen as early as next summer.

This field has always been the gem of the three fields at Queen Elizabeth Park, and with a grass infield it will, without doubt, become P.E.I.’s nicest field for minor baseball.

I have memories of when this field had a grass infield in the late 1960s into the ‘70s, and what a thrill it was to have played on it then as a Little Leaguer.

Desrosiers also has Legends Field on his grass infield list, but that is for down the road. Two other improvements to the VIV Field should include painting the foul poles yellow, and moving the bullpens to outside the playing field. They are dangerous for the fielders in their present location, and there is room to put both outside the fence.

Harness racing

A big night of harness racing at Mohawk Raceway in Toronto on Saturday is highlighted by the Canadian Pacing Derby, which goes for a purse of $615,000. Plenty of two- and three-year-old stake races are on tap for the big night, which has almost $1.5 million in purse money up for grabs. Summerside native Dr. Ian Moore has three in to go Saturday, including a great two-yearold filly named Percy Bluechip. He also has Classic Pro in a three-year-old event as well as Rockin in Heaven in an aged pacers race.

While on the topic of harness racing, another very successful Old Home Week wrapped up for another year in Charlottetown recently. There was a shortage of horses to fill all the cards, which has me wondering will they ever go back to the double-dash racing like it was back in the 1960s and ‘70s? Races 1 and 5, 2 and 6, 3 and 7 and so on was the way it was back then. Now, most horse owners like to have their horse rest at least five days after racing. Would they want to race a horse with just over an hour’s rest?

Have a great week!