Category: Story Ball Collection

Today I received a baseball that my buddy Steve C facilitated the success for me. Steve is friends with Rich Reiker who was a Major League Baseball umpire and now works for MLB as the Director of Umpiring. Rich was the home plate umpire when Mark McGwire hit his 69th and 70th home runs of the 1998 season. I asked Rich to write about what he remembered about it and he did not let me down! I appreciate the efforts of Steve and Rich in having me add this neat baseball to my collection! Thanks guys!

Today I received a cool baseball from Major League Baseball umpire Ron Kulpa. A little over a week ago I was part of a Zoom meeting with a couple other schedule collectors and we started talking about my collection. My buddy Steve mentioned his two friends who are/were umpires and said I should send a request to them. Steve confirmed they both would do it so I mailed them out. Today I received the first one. In my letter to Ron, I asked him to write about his favorite memory of umpiring in baseball. His response did not disappoint! I did not realize this until I received the baseball but Ron was the home plate umpire for Justin Verlander’s no hitter back on June 12, 2007. That is a pretty cool memory but what he wrote was even cooler. He said his previous home plate assignment was for a game in which Curt Schilling pitched a no hitter for 8 2/3 innings. After that game he phoned his dad and told him that was as close as we probably would ever get to a no hitter. Funny how things work out! Thanks for the cool baseball Ron and for hooking me up Steve!

Today I received a story ball from former umpire Ed Montague. With everyone in “lock down”, Fox Sports North and the MLB channel has been playing old baseball games. One of the games they played recently was Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. While watching the rebroadcast, I discovered Eddie Montague was the home plate umpire so I sent him a baseball asking him about his memories of the game. The resulting baseball, as well as the game, was all about Kirby Puckett. It is a pretty cool baseball. He included a photo from behind home plate of Puck hitting his home run which showed Eddie’s back as well. He signed it with Best Wishes. Thanks for the neat addition to the Story Ball Collection Eddie!

Today I received a cool Story Ball from umpire Dale Scott. Dale was the first base umpire for the Twins 2009 Game 163 game and he, like Randy Marsh, commented on how loud the fans were! In fact, Dale commented that it was “one of the loudest crowds ever in my 32 year career!” Pretty neat remembrance!