Bad News

[IRISHMAFIA]

I've just been informed that Tom Mason has passed.

This gentleman, and I mean GENTLEMAN, was the epitome of an umpire's umpire and one of the best trainers with whom I've ever had the pleasure to work, learn from and know

http://v3.asasoftball.com/usa/h/memb...l.asp?mbrid=50

[AtlUmpSteve]

The world of softball just lost another great one.

[CecilOne]

I had the pleasure of knowing Tom at work before I umpired and before knowing he did. Yes, a real gentleman and had lots of respect there as well.
A great memory of mine is my first fast pitch tourney, with Tom on an adjoining field one night and sharing a game with him the next day. An automatic learning experience!

We will all miss him.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Obituary

[KJUmp]

I had the pleasure to meet Tom twice, when as a state UIC, I served as a presenter at the Regional clinics he would conduct back in the early 80's. (Remember those blue hand sized clinic outline 'flip booklets' he used with the bullet points?) Not only was he ahead of his time in umpire training he was doing his own version of power point before anyone ever heard of a PC.

Obviously, I learned a great deal about umpiring just listening to him talk about the craft. One of the fondest memories of my umpiring career was when Tom, seated next to me at a group dinner the night before a clinic, informed me that I had been selected for my first men's major SP national tournament. The icing on the cake…..my UIC at the national was the great Henry Pollard. It was Henry who really gave, this then young umpire in his early 30's, the confidence and direction to take my came to the next level.

Met and worked with Tom just those two times. Spent just that one week umpiring for Henry at the National. Never had occasion to cross paths with either men ever again. Yet in that short time span both, (starting with Tom), had a huge influence on how I developed as an umpire. I can still hear their words 30 years later.

[IRISHMAFIA]

I believe it was the 2009 Nat UIC Clinic to which Tom was invited and I accompanied him out to OKC. Apparently, the travel agent was running everyone from the East through Cincinnati.

While waiting for our connecting flight to board, I introduced Tom to a fellow state UIC and in no time there were about 25 ASA umpires gathered around Tom as if he was holding court. Same thing happened almost as soon as we checked in at the Biltmore. Except when he went to bed, I don't remember seeing him the entire clinic without 5-10 people around him.

The man was the Godfather of Softball Umpires and was always treated accordingly