Wendelstedt's Health?

ump3 · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Oct 04, 2004, 08:44am

Has anybody heard how Harry Wendelstedt is doing? I know that he had some recent health issues, but have not heard anything since. I've had the chance to meet Mr. Wendelstedt, and he seems to be a wonderful guy. Just wondering how he is doing.

Thanks

johnSandlin · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Oct 05, 2004, 09:56am

To my knowledge he is doing much better. I received an email from him over this past weekend concerning his umpiring school, and it did not appear that anything was going on further with his health. He answered my questions that I had for him, and then signed the email with his name at the bottom.

ump3 · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Oct 05, 2004, 10:35am

Are you going down there this year? I think that I am, but not really sure. Wondering if my age will be a factor. I just turned 19.

JJ · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Oct 06, 2004, 04:17pm

Oh, to be 19 and off to umpire school. Sigh. I was 34 when I went and my only regret was that I didn't go a LOT sooner! Have at it!

rynodawg · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Oct 06, 2004, 09:52pm

I'm about 90% sure that i'll be attending one of them (don't know which). i just need to figure out how i will come up with the cash for that and the hundred other bills i have.

From what i've read, i think 19 is actually a good age if you want to get picked for the minors. there was an article in the New Orleans paper recently about a local guy (can't remember his name)who went to the wendelstedt school at 19, and has made it to AAA at only 26.

i just turned 25, have an engineering degree that i'm not using at the moment,,, so i figure that this january would be a good time to give it a shot.

johnSandlin · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 07, 2004, 10:54am

I will not be attending either umpiring school anytime soon if I go at all. I am now 27, will be 28 at the end of this month, and have a family now.

Both my wife and I have discussed thhis issue time and time again, and we just feel that it would be too much for my wife to raise two children by herself for six to eight months out of the year, if I got a job in the minors.

I am satisfied completely with being a good young high school and college baseball umpire. I can still work towards some dreams and goals that I have set for myself at the high school and college levels.

At age 19, I think you are in a good spot. You are young, with lots of years of service ahead of you if you get a job in pro baseball, and that is what they are looking for when you attend one of the umpire schools.

JJ · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 07, 2004, 11:34am

I must say that attending a Pro school is a prerequisite for umping Pro ball, but there are a lot of people who go that don't get hired (they took 17 out of my class of 215). The majority of those who didn't get hired never regretted going, however, for several reasons. First, it made you an umpire. Second, it opened a LOT of amateur doors that would never have been opened otherwise. Third, it gave folks a lot of contacts around the country. Fourth, it will give y0our local association - and the other umpires you work with - insight into what the schools teach. Folks will be able to pick your brain. Every college within 100 miles of where I lived gave me a shot when I told them I'd been to umpire school. I must have paid attention in class, because they've kept hiring me. Go, learn, enjoy, then come home and have at it!

johnSandlin · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 07, 2004, 02:11pm

My wife and I have kicked that approach around as well, but we still come back with the same answer as we agreed before. Maybe, just maybe next year I will go one of the schools.