THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9605300221
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 39 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER
CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: KITTY HAWK LENGTH: 57 lines
BASEBALL HAS changed a lot since Al Forman umpired in the major leagues in the 1960s. Now he watches the national pastime through the eyes of children.
Forman, a National League umpire from 1961-1970, lives in Kitty Hawk and is now calling games in the Kitty Hawk Babe Ruth League.
Forman got his start umpiring while stationed at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach.
``One day the umpires didn't show up for a game at Oceana. I volunteered to ump the game,'' he said. ``I used a barracks broom to dust off the plate and a pile of rocks outside my right and left foot for my indicator. It worked good, as long as you remembered to drop them when the next batter came in.''
Forman went to college for two years, then decided that he had to give umpiring a shot. In the winter of 1956, he went to umpiring school in Florida.
He moved up the minor league ladder, not unlike a player, and got the call to umpire in the big leagues in 1961 when the National League expanded to 10 teams.
Forman umpireed in the National League until 1970. He took a job with the Seagram company, but also continued to umpire at the NCAA Division I level. He called the College World Series nine times.
Forman purchased a vacation home in Kitty Hawk in 1978 and moved there full time in 1983. Before this season, he hadn't umpired a game since 1985. This spring, he started calling little league games.
``I'm the guy who stands behind the pitching machine,'' he said. ``I drop the balls in the machine and make the calls in the infield. I really enjoy it.''
Forman has witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly on the diamond. He was the second-base umpire in a 1965 game when San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal hit Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro over the head with a bat.
``That's the worst thing I ever saw in baseball,'' he said.
These days, Forman is more likely to be in an amusing situation on the little league field.
``We had a game where we just completed three innings and the score was tied at 4-4. I heard something go pop,'' he said. ``The wheel that propels the ball from the pitching machine got separated.
``Well, here comes both coaches. One of the coaches said the same thing happened to him last night at practice. They took the head of the machine off and plated it at a service station. I said `We don't have time to do that. We'll stop it and call it a suspended game.'
``I had to tell the fans like the umps used to do when I was growing up when they didn't have loudspeakers,'' he added. ``I said, `Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention. This game has been suspended because of a flat tire.' They just about went berserk laughing.''
Forman said he enjoys working with the younger players.
``You've got to have a lot of patience,'' he said. ``Children need a lot of help and training. I can see improvement in the youngsters since April 1. The key to this league is development and constant encouragement.'' by CNB