GOFL Interview - George Findley
Next up in our continuing series of Fitzroy Fastball Interviews is with long time umpire George Findley. With all this years in the game I thought George would have some interesting insight - and indeed he does. Check out the interview below.
Q: When and how did you get your starting into officiating fastball?
Started umpiring Fastball in Renfrew 38 years ago. I umpired their industrial league (Tony Riches started pitching some years later as a Bantam, I think). Also umpired the Upper Ottawa Valley League (Cobden, Pembroke, Forrester’s Falls (Queensline), Renfrew, Micksburg, Eganville - Lennox Sterling was their pitcher before moving on to Ottawa to play with the Turpin Pontiacs as one of the best ss/2b to play the game in Sr. FP.)
Q: Did you play fastball at a competitive level? What position did you play?
Industrial League – Catcher mostly, some 2B and 3B.
Q: Was there another umpire that has had a significant impact on your softball career?
Jack Widenmaier - when I came to Ottawa. I learned a lot from him on the diamond- (game management and how to communicate with players and coaches.)
Our own Don Kennedy did my first evaluation as an umpire.
Numerous others, too many to mention, but they helped through evaluations at Provincials and Canadians and their encouragement.
Q: As someone who has umpired some pretty big games, what have been your most exciting assignments?
-2 Perfect games by Darren Zack with 20 K’s 1 game and 19 in the other.
Plate assignment in the following games:
-ISC World Qualifier Toronto Gators-Kemptville Thunder
-ISC Worlds- Kimberly Wisconsin –Undefeated game
Sr. Men’s Canadian Championship Final
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve an as official?
WOW – It would have to be that all those great players that I officiated are now out on the golf course instead of coaching and passing all their Fastpitch knowledge on to their children and their friends.
In Basketball, seeing coaches yell and scream at officials (telling them what calls they missed or should be making) when they should be coaching their team.
Q: Where is the favourite park to officiate in, and why?
St Thomas 1999 and 2005 - 5000 to 8000 fans every day (from 1st game 9:00 AM to last Game at night ending somewhere around midnight) at the Sr Men’s Championships. Love it when there are super crowds.
Q: Who was the best pitcher for whom you've called balls and strikes?
Toss up between Darren Zack (Big Z) and Brad Underwood (Undy). Although Michael White and Mike Piechnik (Peaches) were pretty awesome too.
Q: Who has the best eye as a hitter that you have ever seen at the plate?
I have three.
Brian Paton - Toronto Gators
Brad Underwood - Owen Sound
Lennox Sterling - Turpin
Q: I know catchers and umpires often have a close relationship. Who was the catcher that you had the most fun working with behind the dish?
There were so many great ones and I had a lot of fun working with them. Tim Wahl, Mark Sorenson, Randy Peck, Bruce Casselman, Chuck Hendricks
Q: Word is that you are a pretty good curler. Tell us a bit about your curling experiences. (For our American readers, here is a description of curling.)
Curled competitively since 1967 my last year of high school. Curled against Peewee Pickering and Garnet Campbell of Sask (who until recently) held the most appearances in the Brier. Terry Braunstein, Barry Fry and Don Duguid of Manitoba. Russ and Glen Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner. Eddie Werenich, Neil Harrison, John Kawaja, All of these people won Canadians and Worlds. John Base former world Junior Champ. Kirk Ziola of Sask and Ont. Curled out of the Granite Curling Club Ottawa, Pembroke CC, Navy CC Ottawa, Rideau CC Ottawa and Renfrew CC.
Q: As someone with years of experience, what is the biggest change in the game that you have seen over the years in fastball?
Good question but I guess that would have to be the pitcher being allowed to leap.
Q: If you could change one thing about the GOFL or fastball in general, what would it be?
I would like to see most of the guys playing today , start to organize minor Fastpitch teams and coach them. The game needs it badly.
Q: What is one thing that most guys in the GOFL probably don’t know about you?
They probably don’t know that I do the accounting for Artistic Landscape Designs Ltd.
Thanks George, a good walk down memory lane with all those great stars of the past. And not just the curlers, the ball players too ha ha.
Q: When and how did you get your starting into officiating fastball?
Started umpiring Fastball in Renfrew 38 years ago. I umpired their industrial league (Tony Riches started pitching some years later as a Bantam, I think). Also umpired the Upper Ottawa Valley League (Cobden, Pembroke, Forrester’s Falls (Queensline), Renfrew, Micksburg, Eganville - Lennox Sterling was their pitcher before moving on to Ottawa to play with the Turpin Pontiacs as one of the best ss/2b to play the game in Sr. FP.)
Q: Did you play fastball at a competitive level? What position did you play?
Industrial League – Catcher mostly, some 2B and 3B.
Q: Was there another umpire that has had a significant impact on your softball career?
Jack Widenmaier - when I came to Ottawa. I learned a lot from him on the diamond- (game management and how to communicate with players and coaches.)
Our own Don Kennedy did my first evaluation as an umpire.
Numerous others, too many to mention, but they helped through evaluations at Provincials and Canadians and their encouragement.
Q: As someone who has umpired some pretty big games, what have been your most exciting assignments?
-2 Perfect games by Darren Zack with 20 K’s 1 game and 19 in the other.
Plate assignment in the following games:
-ISC World Qualifier Toronto Gators-Kemptville Thunder
-ISC Worlds- Kimberly Wisconsin –Undefeated game
Sr. Men’s Canadian Championship Final
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve an as official?
WOW – It would have to be that all those great players that I officiated are now out on the golf course instead of coaching and passing all their Fastpitch knowledge on to their children and their friends.
In Basketball, seeing coaches yell and scream at officials (telling them what calls they missed or should be making) when they should be coaching their team.
Q: Where is the favourite park to officiate in, and why?
St Thomas 1999 and 2005 - 5000 to 8000 fans every day (from 1st game 9:00 AM to last Game at night ending somewhere around midnight) at the Sr Men’s Championships. Love it when there are super crowds.
Q: Who was the best pitcher for whom you've called balls and strikes?
Toss up between Darren Zack (Big Z) and Brad Underwood (Undy). Although Michael White and Mike Piechnik (Peaches) were pretty awesome too.
Q: Who has the best eye as a hitter that you have ever seen at the plate?
I have three.
Brian Paton - Toronto Gators
Brad Underwood - Owen Sound
Lennox Sterling - Turpin
Q: I know catchers and umpires often have a close relationship. Who was the catcher that you had the most fun working with behind the dish?
There were so many great ones and I had a lot of fun working with them. Tim Wahl, Mark Sorenson, Randy Peck, Bruce Casselman, Chuck Hendricks
Q: Word is that you are a pretty good curler. Tell us a bit about your curling experiences. (For our American readers, here is a description of curling.)
Curled competitively since 1967 my last year of high school. Curled against Peewee Pickering and Garnet Campbell of Sask (who until recently) held the most appearances in the Brier. Terry Braunstein, Barry Fry and Don Duguid of Manitoba. Russ and Glen Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner. Eddie Werenich, Neil Harrison, John Kawaja, All of these people won Canadians and Worlds. John Base former world Junior Champ. Kirk Ziola of Sask and Ont. Curled out of the Granite Curling Club Ottawa, Pembroke CC, Navy CC Ottawa, Rideau CC Ottawa and Renfrew CC.
Q: As someone with years of experience, what is the biggest change in the game that you have seen over the years in fastball?
Good question but I guess that would have to be the pitcher being allowed to leap.
Q: If you could change one thing about the GOFL or fastball in general, what would it be?
I would like to see most of the guys playing today , start to organize minor Fastpitch teams and coach them. The game needs it badly.
Q: What is one thing that most guys in the GOFL probably don’t know about you?
They probably don’t know that I do the accounting for Artistic Landscape Designs Ltd.
Thanks George, a good walk down memory lane with all those great stars of the past. And not just the curlers, the ball players too ha ha.
posted by fitzroyfastball | 3/30/2011 10:43:00 pm
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