A very proud moment

The handsome young devil on the right is a man I have known literally my entire life.

One of the greatest Little League, high school, and college umpire/referees ever to come from this area, Brad Stearns finally received his due last night by being inducted to the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame as a Friend of Sport.

Brad has been officiating in one capacity or another for roughly 50 years. He’s never flashy, never in-your-face, just a very fair, humble, no-nonsense official who has commanded and received respect from everyone whose games he has ever officiated. Be it baseball, football, or basketball-though he hasn’t done basketball for quite a few years – every single player and coach has given Brad their respect. They may not particularly “like” him (he is an official, after all!) but they all respect him. Why? Because he’s earned it. He deserves it. He goes out and calls the best game he can and tries to be as invisible as an umpire or referee can possibly be. He isn’t one of those officials that goes and looks for confrontations with coaches, and he will even allow a level of “jaw-jackin’”- to a point. Cross that line, however, and you will wind up being a spectator for the rest of the game. As you should.

I am probably about the only person who can go to a game and actually cheer for the officials. I’m nearly 40 years old and I STILL to this day get such a charge watching Brad work a game. I’ve tried on a couple different occasions to be able to “carry on the torch”, as it were, and I’ve used him as a role model in doing so. I just don’t have what it takes, and besides, quite frankly, it’d be like sending a kindergartener with finger paints to recreate the Sistine Chapel.

To Brad Stearns and to all of last night’s inductees, I send a huge congratulations. To my dad, I say thank you. We are immensely proud of you and happy for you. You deserve this.