Tuesday, April 20, 2026 – Inland Empire Association: Ferris @ Mead
When I was a child I remember playing a game called “Barrel Full of Monkeys.” IT was literally nothing more than a plastic barrel with a number of pieces inside, all of which were shaped like monkeys with two curved arms. One arm would curve upward, the other downward. The object of the game was to link together pieces to form the longest chain possible. What always stuck with me about this game was a simple concept – other than the first monkey (which was ultimately controlled by the player) each piece served two purposes. with the upper arm, be grasped and pulled up by a higher piece. Subsequent to that, the lower arm was to be used to pull up the next piece.
The metaphor behind that game is a powerful driver in this tour. There are many of us out there who, at some point, had someone(s) who reached down with their lower arms to raise us up in our game. In turn, we now raise up the next group of umpires. And so it goes – the game depends upon the next link in the chain as the upper pieces move on.
When I saw Tyler’s photo in the game assignment program it was clear he was fairly young, and I found that exciting. I was looking forward to working with a younger umpire and seeing what his skill set and attitude looked like. As it turns out, I only had one regret about working with him.
We only had one game together, with him on the bases. I would have loved to see if he was as proficient on the plate as he was the bases.
Our game was very competitive – exceedingly so for that league this year, Tyler laughed. Both pitchers brought their A game, both teams turned in fantastic performances defensively, and we walked away with a 4-2 dandy with the visiting Ferris Saxons on top. For me, that wasn’t the story.
Watching Tyler work was an exercise in pure joy. The one thought that came to mind over and over in my head was, “good habits!” Tyler not only was in the right location and made great calls, he performed the little details that we trainers push over the years. Stepping toward the base on routine plays rather than stand still. Inspect the baseball whenever it hits a fence or screen. Sharp signals, crisp timing. I wanted to grab the GameChanger video and use it as a training tool to show young folks that it is possible to get things right at an early age.
Tyler was very gracious with my effusive complimenting, deflecting all the praise to his mentor (also named Tyler, also fairly young). Add humility to the list of attributes that shows he will be a contributor to the game long after I am gone.
From the standpoint of the actual games, this was pretty good. When it comes to the mission, however, it doesn’t get any better than this. Tyler showed that the next generation of umpires is still out there, still has the same passion as when I was young. It gave me boundless optimism for the game.
I secretly hope that someday way in the future, long after the game has forgotten about me, that this (now) young man has his own legacy.
Keep both those arms curved, Tyler.
