GaryMrMets
07-27-2004, 07:21 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/9251366.htm
Posted on Tue, Jul. 27, 2004
Opportunity of a lifetime
McArdle among local umps called to duty at Phils game
By TED SILARY
silaryt@phillynews.com
On a list of great ways to start a summer weekend, this has to be near the top: being part of a major league baseball game.
Among the lucky last Friday night, at none other than brand new Citizens Bank Park, was John McArdle, of Melrose Park, a longtime teacher/coach at Chestnut Hill Academy and a baseball assistant for the past four seasons at Temple University.
Along with two other local residents, Frank Sylvester (Somerton) and Scott Graham (West Chester), McArdle served as an umpire for the first 1 ½ innings of the Phillies' 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
McArdle, immensely popular and respected, worked for many years as a college umpire, and he still handles semipro and youth leagues in the summer.
Soon after his stint ended, McArdle began developing a case of cauliflower ear.
"Coming in off the field, I had 14 messages on my cell phone,'' he said yesterday. "There were eight or nine on my house phone and since then...well, it's just been amazing. Pretty much nonstop.''
He added with a laugh, "I can confirm one thing for you. A lot of people - at least people I know - watch the Phillies' games.''
Yesterday, McArdle was working at Chestnut Hill for the Larry Hyde Sports Camp. About 50 kids ages 5 to 13 were on hand.
"They made an announcement to the kids about what happened,'' he said. "They got pretty excited. A few of them yelled out, 'We saw you! We were at the game!' A couple said they saw it on TV or saw my picture in [a suburban newspaper].''
As of noon, he had signed no autographs.
"But I'll be here until 5 o'clock,'' he cracked.
The locals, as recruited by Jack Peoples, an administrator with a local umpiring organization, were pressed into duty when a flight carrying three members of the regular crew was diverted from Philadelphia to Baltimore due to poor weather. The fourth member, Darren Spagnardi, a minor league ump who fills in during others' vacations, had taken a different flight.
McArdle worked at third base. Graham and Sylvester handled first and second, respectively. Their names were listed with Spagnardi's on the official box score; the late arrivals' were not.
Nothing close to controversial happened.
"Jimmy Rollins hit a triple and slid into the bag, but I didn't have to make a call,'' McArdle said. "It was an easy triple. The ball was cut off.''
McArdle starred at Chestnut Hill and was a heavy-hitting third baseman for the 1977 Temple team that reached the College World Series. The Owls' coach, as he still is, was Skip Wilson.
McArdle attended umpiring school and handled pro games in extended spring training in 1981. He stepped away when he was offered a teaching job at CHA. He was the Blue Devils' varsity basketball coach for 17 seasons, ending in 2003.
Peoples called McArdle at the sports camp a shade before 5 p.m.
"Jack asked me, 'How'd you like to work at Citizens Bank Park tonight?' '' McArdle said. "I said, 'Who's playing?' I wasn't thinking. I didn't even realize the Phillies were home. When he told me the situation, I jumped at the chance. You kiddin' me?!''
McArdle was driven to the ballpark by Sylvester, a Central High product and former minor league ump who rose as high as Triple A crew chief. John made just one call en route: to his brother, Frank, a longtime Catholic League football coach, mostly as an assistant.
"He didn't make it down there. Just watched on TV,'' John said.
The locals were greeted by Mike DiMuzio, director of ballpark operations, and Jim Mc-Kean, a supervisor of umpires for MLB.
"We wore the regular uniforms,'' McArdle said. "They said they have a big trunk filled with uniforms in every major league umpires room, just for situations like that. All we had to do was say our sizes.
"Mike and Jim, they couldn't have been nicer. Jim said, 'Just relax and do your thing.' Frank and Scott had done major league games. I was the only one who hadn't. I wasn't really nervous, though. Not sure why. Everything was happening so quickly. Just my natural umpiring instincts took over.
"I've done World Series games for Divisions II and III. And regionals for Division I. But to do a major league game in your hometown, in front of a sellout crowd...that's no doubt the highlight.
"They had our names on the board. Showed us on the video screen. Just like we were regular umps. We came out of the third-base dugout to go over the ground rules and [Cubs manager] Dusty Baker walked along with us. He introduced himself. Thanked us for coming. John Vukovich brought out the Phillies' lineup. He thanked us, too.''
The locals knew the regulars would be arriving shortly into the game.
"Jim McKean said they would make the change as unobtrusively as possible,'' McArdle said. "As the top of the second ended, we walked off and they walked on. That was it.''
For the workday, anyway. The euphoria likely will last forever.
As John McArdle confirmed, "It was very neat.''
Posted on Tue, Jul. 27, 2004
Opportunity of a lifetime
McArdle among local umps called to duty at Phils game
By TED SILARY
silaryt@phillynews.com
On a list of great ways to start a summer weekend, this has to be near the top: being part of a major league baseball game.
Among the lucky last Friday night, at none other than brand new Citizens Bank Park, was John McArdle, of Melrose Park, a longtime teacher/coach at Chestnut Hill Academy and a baseball assistant for the past four seasons at Temple University.
Along with two other local residents, Frank Sylvester (Somerton) and Scott Graham (West Chester), McArdle served as an umpire for the first 1 ½ innings of the Phillies' 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
McArdle, immensely popular and respected, worked for many years as a college umpire, and he still handles semipro and youth leagues in the summer.
Soon after his stint ended, McArdle began developing a case of cauliflower ear.
"Coming in off the field, I had 14 messages on my cell phone,'' he said yesterday. "There were eight or nine on my house phone and since then...well, it's just been amazing. Pretty much nonstop.''
He added with a laugh, "I can confirm one thing for you. A lot of people - at least people I know - watch the Phillies' games.''
Yesterday, McArdle was working at Chestnut Hill for the Larry Hyde Sports Camp. About 50 kids ages 5 to 13 were on hand.
"They made an announcement to the kids about what happened,'' he said. "They got pretty excited. A few of them yelled out, 'We saw you! We were at the game!' A couple said they saw it on TV or saw my picture in [a suburban newspaper].''
As of noon, he had signed no autographs.
"But I'll be here until 5 o'clock,'' he cracked.
The locals, as recruited by Jack Peoples, an administrator with a local umpiring organization, were pressed into duty when a flight carrying three members of the regular crew was diverted from Philadelphia to Baltimore due to poor weather. The fourth member, Darren Spagnardi, a minor league ump who fills in during others' vacations, had taken a different flight.
McArdle worked at third base. Graham and Sylvester handled first and second, respectively. Their names were listed with Spagnardi's on the official box score; the late arrivals' were not.
Nothing close to controversial happened.
"Jimmy Rollins hit a triple and slid into the bag, but I didn't have to make a call,'' McArdle said. "It was an easy triple. The ball was cut off.''
McArdle starred at Chestnut Hill and was a heavy-hitting third baseman for the 1977 Temple team that reached the College World Series. The Owls' coach, as he still is, was Skip Wilson.
McArdle attended umpiring school and handled pro games in extended spring training in 1981. He stepped away when he was offered a teaching job at CHA. He was the Blue Devils' varsity basketball coach for 17 seasons, ending in 2003.
Peoples called McArdle at the sports camp a shade before 5 p.m.
"Jack asked me, 'How'd you like to work at Citizens Bank Park tonight?' '' McArdle said. "I said, 'Who's playing?' I wasn't thinking. I didn't even realize the Phillies were home. When he told me the situation, I jumped at the chance. You kiddin' me?!''
McArdle was driven to the ballpark by Sylvester, a Central High product and former minor league ump who rose as high as Triple A crew chief. John made just one call en route: to his brother, Frank, a longtime Catholic League football coach, mostly as an assistant.
"He didn't make it down there. Just watched on TV,'' John said.
The locals were greeted by Mike DiMuzio, director of ballpark operations, and Jim Mc-Kean, a supervisor of umpires for MLB.
"We wore the regular uniforms,'' McArdle said. "They said they have a big trunk filled with uniforms in every major league umpires room, just for situations like that. All we had to do was say our sizes.
"Mike and Jim, they couldn't have been nicer. Jim said, 'Just relax and do your thing.' Frank and Scott had done major league games. I was the only one who hadn't. I wasn't really nervous, though. Not sure why. Everything was happening so quickly. Just my natural umpiring instincts took over.
"I've done World Series games for Divisions II and III. And regionals for Division I. But to do a major league game in your hometown, in front of a sellout crowd...that's no doubt the highlight.
"They had our names on the board. Showed us on the video screen. Just like we were regular umps. We came out of the third-base dugout to go over the ground rules and [Cubs manager] Dusty Baker walked along with us. He introduced himself. Thanked us for coming. John Vukovich brought out the Phillies' lineup. He thanked us, too.''
The locals knew the regulars would be arriving shortly into the game.
"Jim McKean said they would make the change as unobtrusively as possible,'' McArdle said. "As the top of the second ended, we walked off and they walked on. That was it.''
For the workday, anyway. The euphoria likely will last forever.
As John McArdle confirmed, "It was very neat.''