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Victoria umpiring legend Doug Hudlin, the first non-American to be invited to work the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame during festivities this weekend in St. Mary鈥檚 Ont.
The City of Victoria proclaimed June 11 Doug Hudlin Day during ceremonies held at National Little League that day.
Also in the induction Class of 2017 is former former Baseball sa国际传媒 president Ray Carter, of Nanaimo, and the 2015 Pan American Games gold-medallist Canadian team, which included infielder Jesse Hodges of Victoria.
Headlining the Class of 2017 is former Toronto Blue Jays pitching ace Roy Halladay and former Montreal Expos slugger and four-time NL all-star Vladimir Guerrero. It is the 21st induction ceremony.
Hudlin, who umpired a generation of Island ball players over four decades, died in 2014 at 91. He umpired twice at the Little League World Series, in 1967 and 1974 鈥� when Esquimalt-Vic West represented sa国际传媒 鈥� and twice at the Senior Little League World Series in Gary, Indiana.
Hudlin was known for his empathy toward the young players he umpired.
鈥淚n Little League, you're the umpire and the coach at the same time,鈥� he once said.
鈥淵ou help and guide youngsters along 鈥� that's part of an umpire鈥檚 job at that level.鈥�
That attitude spilled into the stands in an era when parents did not seem as strident when cheering their young offspring. Hudlin would often turn to the mothers of players he had called out, and ask: 鈥淒o you still love me?鈥� The answer was always the same.
Hudlin once said his greatest thrill in later years was being stopped throughout the Island and asked: 鈥淒o you remember me? You used to umpire my games at National Little League, American Little League, Babe Ruth or wherever.鈥�
Carter was president of Baseball sa国际传媒 from 2000 to 2016 during a time of tremendous growth and success. He helped establish the Canadian women's national team in 2004, now ranked No. 2 in the world, and Challenger Baseball for kids with disabilities. Under Carter鈥檚 reign, sa国际传媒 won men鈥檚 gold at the 2011 Guadalajara and 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games and won 11 other international medals.
