Nothing small about umps’ Little League task
Calgarian says assignment ‘pretty special’
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 sport- ing 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.
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 coordinator f or Canada, which he has held since 2012.