Youngest Official You Have Worked With or Seen

[Mechanicsman]

I am 16 now. Last season I worked junior high games at 15. I have always been the youngest that I have seen, but I have encountered one 18yro.

[grunewar]

I've got to admit, I envy you guys that are starting out very young. I hope you enjoy it, become good at it (if you're not already), and keep at it.

I regret not starting sooner, but my career and family situation (coach rob) wouldn't allow me to start until my kids were grown. Hopefully, my jealth will permit me to continue for many yrs to come.

PS - Oldest I've seen is 69 yr old. I was on the court with him two yrs ago when a VG player fell into him on the endline and blew out his knee. Saw him doing a VG scrimmage last yr - he doesn't get up and down the court too well anymore, but knows the rules and can still manage a game (NCAA bound?).

[Jay R]

I only started officiating basketball in my thirties but my first officiating experience was when I was 16. I was umpiring in a local rec softball league. In one of my first games, The shortstop on one team was my high school phys ed teacher and he was a legend in my hometown. He had played minor pro hockey and he had been a tremendous baseball player growing up. To say the least, I was intimidated by him. There was a close play at second and "local legend" gets on my case. It gets quite heated and I threaten to throw him out if he doesn't calm down. All I could think of is that people probably noticed that I was shaking in my boots trying to stand up to a huge man in his thirties. After the game, many people came over and congratulated me for how I handled the situation. It gave me confidance to continue because there was nobody more intimidating in that league than him. My three years of umpiring as a teenager was one of the reasons I decided to come back to officiating in my thirties. Now I work basketball and baseball.

[Mark Padgett]

In the south Chicago suburb where I grew up (Chicago Heights) the kids baseball program was run by the park district. I was able to umpire 8, 9 and 10 year old kids games when I was 13. I did it for three seasons. Back then (the sixties), there was only one official on the field. We had to make every call and we stood behind the pitcher. I think we got paid 50 cents per game and I usually worked two or three on a Saturday. It was more money than my weekly allowance.