The late Doug Hudlin, who did it twice, became the first non-American to umpire in the famed Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The journey began at National Little League, which will honour Hudlin with a permanent plaque at the park to be unveiled June 12 at 12:30 p.m.
The ceremony will be followed by a game at 1 p.m. between National Little League players and a team composed of players from the Step Up To The Plate program, the charity that was created in Hudlin’s memory, and which helps children play baseball who may otherwise not have been able to afford the registration fees.
City of Victoria councillor Marianne Alto will help unveil the plaque along with Hudlin’s niece, Barbara Hudlin.
“Our family is truly honoured for my uncle Doug to receive this recognition, and for future generations to see and read about who he was,” said Barbara Hudlin.
Entry to the ceremony, and game to follow, is by cash donation to the Step Up To The Plate program. What will make the moment even more special is that two of Doug Hudlin’s great-great grand-nephews and a great-great grand-niece will help unveil the plaque and then play in the game for the Step Up To The Plate team.
In another fitting full-circle tribute, the game will be umpired by Larry Walker Sr. of Maple Ridge, the 84-year-old father of MLB Hall-of-Famer Larry Walker, and the longest-serving umpire in sa国际传媒 with a career in the game of more than 70 years. Also umpiring the game will be Don Moore, who has umpired at National Little League for more than 40 years.
Doug Hudlin died in 2014 at age 91 after umpiring generations of Island baseball players in a career that spanned more than 40 years. He umpired twice at the Little League World Series in 1967 and 1974, the latter also the year Esquimalt-Vic West represented sa国际传媒, and also twice at the Senior Little League World Series in Gary, Indiana. Hudlin has been inducted into both the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Mary’s Ont.
Hudlin had a gentle demeanour and was known for his empathy toward young players.
“In Little League, you’re the umpire and the coach at the same time,” he once said.
“You help and guide youngsters along … that’s part of an umpire’s job at that level.”
That ethic, and the man who embodied it, will be celebrated Sunday at the park where he did much of his umpiring, and where there will now be a permanent plaque as a testament.
