Umpires accosted off the field following Midwest Collegiate League Game

[UMP25]

Indeed.

[UMP25]

Well, this stuff just keeps getting better! The slow, hopefully painful death of this schlock league continues. Perhaps.

Toole Pulls CrackerJacks, Lincolns Out of Midwest Collegiate League |

Scroll down and read the comment by a poster named Larry.

I do find it interesting that a league that bills itself as "pre-professional" goes ahead and lets a con artist like Jamie O'Toole run two teams, and hires as a manager a guy fired from 3 previous head coaching positions for his bizarre rants and actions toward umpires.

It cost each team $25,000 to enter a franchise into the league. How did O'Toole, who skipped out on numerous other debts over the years, come up with the $50K to have 2 teams in the league? Hmmm...

[UMP25]

One veteran umpire resigned last week, and this week four more umpires tendered their resignation, primarily because of the issue of not getting paid. In fact, one guy has worked 15 games in the league and, according to this individual, has yet to be paid for any of them.

Yeah, this league is "pre-professional" all right.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by SafeOutReplay

Money. Independent wealth is unusual in officiating. Most do it for the money even if they lie continually claiming that they don't.

Sounds like that's not viable any longer.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Which is why I began this thread by emphasizing that I wasn't intending this to bash the league and/or its commissioner. ... I have tried to maintain a sense of decorum and professionalism.
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Well, this stuff just keeps getting better! The slow, hopefully painful death of this schlock league continues. Perhaps.

Hmmmm. Methinks you're starting to sway from your original intent...

[UMP25]

After all the crap this league has pulled lately, can you blame me? I'll still try to be somewhat restrained.

[UMP25]

The latest Email from the league's commissioner about the money still owed to the umpires. I'm owed for only one game, but many guys are owed for numerous games. One of my colleagues is owed over $1200.00!

July 31, 2012

Dear Umpires,

As Commissioner of the Midwest Collegiate League, I would like to thank each of you for making this 2012 Season a success. First of all, as a League we have made great strides over the past seasons to improve both the quality level of our officials and their professionalism. In my opinion, each of you had contributed toward us achieving this goal. Secondly, I want to explain that on July 20th we received resignations letters from the Will County Cracker Jacks and the Illinois Lincoln Baseball Clubs. Both of these organizations were owned by Jamie Toole, an original founding member and board of director of the League. This sudden and calculated resignation by Jamie Toole to avoid paying his League fees has left us with an uncollected debt from him for the 2012 season was significant. This debt includes (without limitation) League fees as well as all of his prorated shares of the umpire fees. His actions are not your responsibility and it’s a matter that the League will be pursuing legally. With regard to back pay owed to any umpire, the Midwest Collegiate League will guarantee payment on all outstanding sums owed to each of you. Since July 20 we have revised the method in which we pay umpires and have paid everyone on site before or after each game. Thus, the outstanding debt is now isolated to a two week period of time. I am asking that everyone be patient with us for the next 14 days, while we as a League work through the financials so everyone can be paid. If anyone would like to speak with or email me directly, please do...

A couple things my colleagues have asked me:

• How can he call this season a "success"? Many of us think it was a disaster.
• Where did all the money go if each team had to pay $25,000 just to be in the league?

So O'Toole didn't pay his $50K for both teams. That means there should be $150,000 from the other 6 teams. Each team is responsible for its own overhead (lights, field maintenance, etc.). However, the umpires' pay comes out of the league's funds. How can there not be enough money to pay the umpires their remaining game fees?

As one of my colleagues commented, "Perhaps someone ought to investigate them, because something doesn't smell right at all."

Just sayin'...

[UMP25]

1. The De Kalb County State's Attorney has decided to not pursue the case. This doesn't surprise me, in light of the fact that the league and the Liners General Manager Josh Pethoud (yes, I'm naming names now, because these people who stonewalled and lied through this mess deserve the shame) refused to cooperate with authorities and intentionally withheld information that was more than once requested by law enforcement.

2. The league owes many of its umpires a lot of money. I'm owed a measly one game's fee, but others are owed much more. It is believed that the total owed to the umpires who have yet to be paid is in the 5-digit range.

3. Jamie O'Toole is up to it again with his usual skipping out on unpaid bills.

Regarding # 2 above--many of us umpires have been discussing legal action against the league. Talk of a class action type of lawsuit is in the works. There's no excuse for a league that charges $25,000 per team just to enter the league to not be able to pay its umpires, especially when each team's overhead (balls, lights, field maintenance, and other such costs) are paid for by the team and not the league fees. So even after O'Toole skipped out on his 2 teams' $50K, the league had $150,000 in the bank. Where did that money go?

I wonder if its Commissioner, Don Popravak, is still driving that Porsche (or is it the BMW? Mercedes?). He runs 2 teams, BTW. Word has it that he makes a ton of money being the league commissioner.

One thing's for certain--the umpires didn't make the money they were supposed to make!