Jim Bailey, 54, a resident of Gainesville since 1997, has been umpiring Little League softball and baseball for 12 years and was selected among thousands of umpire candidates nationwide to serve in the 2024 Little League World Series. According to the league, appointment as a volunteer umpire for a World Series event is the highest honor the organization can bestow on an umpire.
“Being named an umpire at one of our seven World Series events is an honor that thousands of Little League umpires strive for each year and has long been known as an opportunity to showcase their hard work and give back by helping to provide a fun and memorable experience for the hundreds of participants from around the world,” said Stu Hartenstein, Little League Director of Umpire Development and Operations, in a press release announcing the umpires’ selections.
Even for Bailey, a veteran official with over a decade of experience on the field, the Little League World Series opportunity still gives him mixed emotions.
“I am nervous and excited,” Bailey said. “…I want to make sure I do my best.”
He said the selection started with a lengthy process that began with Little League training classes and then umpiring at state tournaments. After umpiring there, selected umpires move up to regional tournaments, which are evaluated by Little League regional training staff.
“At the end of the region tournament, you sit down with the training staff to review your strengths and weaknesses, and are scored based on the review form developed by Little League International,” Bailey said.
Umpires must score well to be recommended for the World Series events. The process can take years for an umpire to be appointed for a Little League World Series. In the 2024 Little League World Series, Bailey will serve as an umpire for the Senior League Softball World Series in Lower Sussex, Del., from July 29 – Aug. 4. The Senior League Division is for boys and girls aged 13-16 years old.
“I appreciate what Little League offers to the children in our community and look forward to being involved for many years to come,” Bailey said. He added that his son and daughter also played baseball and softball, and he often saw the “love of the game” from players and their families and enjoyed the camaraderie with other umpires.
He is one of 13 volunteer umpires officiating the Senior League Division games, and other umpires in the division hail from locations like British Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Philippines, and several U.S. states. The games are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN starting July 27.
Kevin Sandell is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News.
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