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Hall Of Fame Ump

don’t work as much as I used to. I was
umpiring six days a week in the sum-
lliot “Butch” Parnes believes in
mer.”
law and order not only in the
Parnes began his umpiring career
courtroom, but on the softball
working intramural games at Michigan
diamond.
State University in 1968 when he was a
The attorney from Clarkston will
student there.
be inducted into the United States
Since then, the Flint native and
sociation National
33 year Clarkston
C
Specialty Sports Association
33-year
resident has
umpi games across the
Hall of Fame in the umpire category
umpired
Detr area and the coun-
Nov. 18 in Sanibel Island, Fla.
Detroit
een a slow-pitch
Parnes, 66, has been
try.
ball umpire
Rem
and fast-pitch softball
Remember
the powerhouse
Detro Caesars teams of the
for 48 years and an attor-
Detroit
Ame
ney for 38 years. When
American
Professional Slow-
e’s no
P
he’s umpiring, there’s
Pitch
Softball League in
rge of
t late 1970s? Parnes
doubt who’s in charge
the
u
the game.
umpired
their games
at M
“Someone needs to be in
Memorial Park in East
Detroit, now Eastpointe.
control,” he said. “I don’t pay
aints about
“I got into umpiring because
attention to complaints
ot going
I wasn’t much
m
a call I make. I’m not
of a ballplayer. I
couldn’t hit
h or field,” he said. “But
to change the call, especially
I knew the
th rules, and I thought if
if I’m working by myself.”
n a dia-
hu
Being the boss on
I could hustle,
I could do a good
ated
mond hasn’t translated
job.”
n all
into many firings. In
The US
USSSA is a volunteer, not-
ng,
his years of umpiring,
for-profit sports governing body
K
Parnes has ejected
based in Kissimmee,
Fla.
over
only four play-
It oversees
13 amateur sports,
ranging from slow-pitch and
ers. One ejection
fast-pitc
stands out.
fast-pitch softball to baseball,
Umpire Butch Parnes
“A player was mad
basketball, soccer and tae kwon
at himself for mak-
do played in the United States,
ing an out, and I saw
Puerto Rico, U.S. military bases
him getting ready to throw his bat,”
and Canada. It has more than 3.7 mil-
Parnes said. “Before I could tell him to
lion members, making it the largest
stop, he threw it. It was like a missile
multi-sport governing organization in
and almost hit someone. I had to toss
the world.
him for that.”
Founded in 1968 as the U.S. Slow-
Trash talk between players is not
Pitch Softball Association, it rebranded
allowed when Parnes umpires a game.
and expanded to other sports in 1998.
“If you don’t stop that, you know
Parnes worked as an in-house hospi-
what could happen. Things could get
tal attorney from 1978-2001 until going
physical,” he said.
into private practice, specializing in
Parnes said he was opposed initially
juvenile law, employment discrimina-
to instant replay of umpires’ calls now
tion and civil rights.
used in college and professional base-
He was honored last year by the
ball games.
Oakland County Family Court judges,
“Instant replay takes away the human receiving their Sandra Silver Child
element of umpiring a game,” he said.
Advocate of the Year Award at the
“But sports at those levels are too big
annual Oakland County Adoption Day
now. They’re too much of a business.
ceremony.
Fans are paying a lot of money to see
The award is named for a late
games. It’s important to get calls right.”
probate court judge and given to an
Entering a national hall of fame
attorney or family court judge who has
— Parnes already is in the Michigan
shown exceptional dedication in repre-
USSSA Hall of Fame, inducted in 1988
senting children and parents.
— and reducing his umpiring schedule
Aside from law and umpiring, Parnes
in recent years doesn’t mean Parnes is
was the Great Lakes Regional B’nai
planning to give up calling games.
B’rith Youth Organization president in
“I haven’t thought about stopping,”
1967-1968.
he said. “I’ll keep doing it until I can’t
Send sports news to
tell the difference between a strike or
stevestein502004@yahoo.com.
a ball, out or safe or fair or foul. But I

Steve Stein | Contributing Writer

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42 November 3 • 2016