NEW YORK -- Randy Marsh, a Major League veteran umpire of 22 years, has been named crew chief of the umpiring crew for the 2003 World Series between the Florida Marlins and the New York Yankees. This is the fourth time Marsh has been selected for the prestigious honor.
"It's always an honor to be selected for the World Series, period. Whether you're the crew chief or not," Marsh said. "And if you'd asked me 20 years ago if I was ever going to work four World Series, I'd tell you that you were out of your mind."
Marsh also worked the American League Division Series this year for Games 1, 2 and 5 between Boston and Oakland and Games 3 and 4 between New York and Minnesota.
He said Game 1 between Boston and Oakland was one of the most exciting games he ever has worked.
"It went 12 innings and Oakland wins it on a bunt in the bottom of the 12th inning with the bases loaded and two outs," Marsh said. "Nine out of 12 innings both teams had runners in scoring position and it was just a very, very exciting baseball game to work. That ranked right up there with any of them."
He appreciates being selected for both the Division Series and the World Series.
"I've been very fortunate, especially since there are many, many deserving umpires to be working the World Series," he said.
Joining Marsh on the World Series umpiring crew will be Larry Young, Gary Darling, Jeff Kellogg, Ed Rapuano and Tim Welke. In Game 1, Marsh will be at home plate, Young will be at first base, Darling will be at second base, Kellogg will be at third base, Rapuano will be in left field and Welke will be in right field.
Marsh did not work with this particular crew during the 2003 season, but he has worked with all of these umpires during previous regular seasons or postseason games. For the playoff games and World Series, umpires can be selected from any of the 17 Major League crews, which are comprised of four umpires in each crew. Only six umpires are selected for the World Series crew each year.
"Certainly it's gratifying to get [selected], but there's many deserving umpires," Marsh said. "It's a shame only six get selected for the World Series because there's a lot of guys that could be doing the same job."
Marsh has officiated at many special events for the league including postseason and All-Star games. He became a member of the Major League staff in 1982 and worked the All-Star Game in 1985, ‘88 and ‘96, the Division Series in 1998, ‘99 and 2001, the League Championship Series in 1989, ‘92, ‘95, 2000 and ‘02 and the World Series in 1990, ‘97 and ‘99.
He saw firsthand when the Marlins took the championship in 1997 and when the Yankees won it in 1999. He said witnessing moments like those are one of the best things about being a Major League umpire.
"I'm not a player, but I'm on that field every day, just like the players are," he said. "All of us love the game of baseball. Not everybody can be there as a player, but you can be on the field as an umpire and see some tremendous things happen that go down in history, as far as the game is concerned, and you're on the field watching the whole thing."
He first started umpiring Little League games when he was 15 years old and ever since then he's been hooked.
"When I was too old to play Little League baseball, I started umpiring just to make the money," he said. "I did that through high school and realized that there was a professional umpire school and that there was always a need for somebody that tried to do a good job and took it serious."
Marsh went to the Al Somers Umpire School in Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1968. He then spent 13 years in the minor leagues before joining the Major League staff.
"It takes a special breed of person to be an umpire," he said. "You truly have to love the game, and people aren't always gonna be patting you on the back. You [just] hold up your end of the deal with the people you're on the field with and do the job that your employer wants you to do."
Marsh said umpiring has provided him a chance to make a living for his family and allowed him to travel, which he enjoys.
"My wife and daughter have been able to travel with me numerous times during the years I've been umpiring. That's an education in itself for a young person to be able to do that," he said. "There are just a lot of good things about the job. You travel a lot during the season, but it's nice to have several months off during the offseason to spend with your family and catch up on things."
His wife Roxanne and his daughter Lauren, 22, will join him at the World Series this weekend. Marsh and his wife recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on October 7. Their daughter attends the University of Kentucky and will be graduating this year.
Marsh said he is looking forward to seeing all of he umpires' families at the game and working with his crew in the World Series.
"We have a good bunch of guys working together and they're all dedicated officials. They'll be dedicated to do as good a job as they possibly can for the game," he said. "It will be good to see a lot of them and their families, since we don't get to see each other’s families too much. A lot of us are bringing our families with us, so that will make it a nice time for them."
He said this year's playoffs have been a memorable experience for him so far, and he thinks it will only get better.
"It's probably been some of the most exciting playoff games I think I've ever seen," Marsh said. "The games themselves, they've just been tremendous baseball games. It's been great for our game."
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"It's always an honor to be selected for the World Series, period. Whether you're the crew chief or not," Marsh said. "And if you'd asked me 20 years ago if I was ever going to work four World Series, I'd tell you that you were out of your mind."
Marsh also worked the American League Division Series this year for Games 1, 2 and 5 between Boston and Oakland and Games 3 and 4 between New York and Minnesota.
He said Game 1 between Boston and Oakland was one of the most exciting games he ever has worked.
"It went 12 innings and Oakland wins it on a bunt in the bottom of the 12th inning with the bases loaded and two outs," Marsh said. "Nine out of 12 innings both teams had runners in scoring position and it was just a very, very exciting baseball game to work. That ranked right up there with any of them."
He appreciates being selected for both the Division Series and the World Series.
"I've been very fortunate, especially since there are many, many deserving umpires to be working the World Series," he said.
Joining Marsh on the World Series umpiring crew will be Larry Young, Gary Darling, Jeff Kellogg, Ed Rapuano and Tim Welke. In Game 1, Marsh will be at home plate, Young will be at first base, Darling will be at second base, Kellogg will be at third base, Rapuano will be in left field and Welke will be in right field.
Marsh did not work with this particular crew during the 2003 season, but he has worked with all of these umpires during previous regular seasons or postseason games. For the playoff games and World Series, umpires can be selected from any of the 17 Major League crews, which are comprised of four umpires in each crew. Only six umpires are selected for the World Series crew each year.
"Certainly it's gratifying to get [selected], but there's many deserving umpires," Marsh said. "It's a shame only six get selected for the World Series because there's a lot of guys that could be doing the same job."
Marsh has officiated at many special events for the league including postseason and All-Star games. He became a member of the Major League staff in 1982 and worked the All-Star Game in 1985, ‘88 and ‘96, the Division Series in 1998, ‘99 and 2001, the League Championship Series in 1989, ‘92, ‘95, 2000 and ‘02 and the World Series in 1990, ‘97 and ‘99.
He saw firsthand when the Marlins took the championship in 1997 and when the Yankees won it in 1999. He said witnessing moments like those are one of the best things about being a Major League umpire.
"I'm not a player, but I'm on that field every day, just like the players are," he said. "All of us love the game of baseball. Not everybody can be there as a player, but you can be on the field as an umpire and see some tremendous things happen that go down in history, as far as the game is concerned, and you're on the field watching the whole thing."
He first started umpiring Little League games when he was 15 years old and ever since then he's been hooked.
"When I was too old to play Little League baseball, I started umpiring just to make the money," he said. "I did that through high school and realized that there was a professional umpire school and that there was always a need for somebody that tried to do a good job and took it serious."
Marsh went to the Al Somers Umpire School in Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1968. He then spent 13 years in the minor leagues before joining the Major League staff.
"It takes a special breed of person to be an umpire," he said. "You truly have to love the game, and people aren't always gonna be patting you on the back. You [just] hold up your end of the deal with the people you're on the field with and do the job that your employer wants you to do."
Marsh said umpiring has provided him a chance to make a living for his family and allowed him to travel, which he enjoys.
"My wife and daughter have been able to travel with me numerous times during the years I've been umpiring. That's an education in itself for a young person to be able to do that," he said. "There are just a lot of good things about the job. You travel a lot during the season, but it's nice to have several months off during the offseason to spend with your family and catch up on things."
His wife Roxanne and his daughter Lauren, 22, will join him at the World Series this weekend. Marsh and his wife recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on October 7. Their daughter attends the University of Kentucky and will be graduating this year.
Marsh said he is looking forward to seeing all of he umpires' families at the game and working with his crew in the World Series.
"We have a good bunch of guys working together and they're all dedicated officials. They'll be dedicated to do as good a job as they possibly can for the game," he said. "It will be good to see a lot of them and their families, since we don't get to see each other’s families too much. A lot of us are bringing our families with us, so that will make it a nice time for them."
He said this year's playoffs have been a memorable experience for him so far, and he thinks it will only get better.
"It's probably been some of the most exciting playoff games I think I've ever seen," Marsh said. "The games themselves, they've just been tremendous baseball games. It's been great for our game."
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