THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608210150
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 71 lines
THE FONDEST MEMORY of the Olympic Games for Bullet Alexander is of a little boy whose name he never learned.
Richard ``Bullet'' Alexander, a retired Portsmouth fire captain and longtime amateur and professional umpire, was one of 16 chosen to work the baseball games at the Olympics in Atlanta. He was one of just five Americans.
Alexander umpired 12 games, including the gold medal game between winner Cuba and Japan. Twice, he had stints behind home plate.
During one game, Alexander watched as fans chased after a foul ball.
``These two little kids were in a scuffle to get it. One was a red-headed boy, about 10. The other was much smaller, maybe 6 or 7.
``The bigger boy got the ball. The smaller kid started to cry, and after a while I noticed the older boy went over and gave him the ball.
``After the game, I saw the little redhead again. I said, `Son, did you give that ball away?'
``He nodded and said, `He wanted it more than I did.'
``I told him to wait there. I went to my ball bag and got him a ball that had never been used. I said `Here's a brand new Olympic baseball. You take it. That other ball was sloughed up anyway.' His eyes lit up and he ran away with the ball.
``At the next game, I heard someone call `Hey, Mr. Ump.' I looked around and it was the little redhead.
``He asked me if I would autograph his baseball.
``I told him, `You don't want my autograph. You want to get some of these Olympic players to sign it.'
``He said `No, sir. I want your autograph.' So I signed his ball and it made me just as happy as it made him.''
Alexander, the quarterback on Wilson High School's state championship football team of 1947, began umpiring after a two-year minor league playing career. He retired from his regular job in the fire department as a captain in 1983.
He called his Olympics assignment ``just a dream that came true.''
One moment he certainly long will remember is the bomb explosion in Centennial Olympic Park.
``The umpires all were quartered at the Baptist School of Nursing dorms. They are at Georgia Baptist Hospital. And that's where most of the people who were injured, including the lady who died, were taken after the explosion.
``Most of us were asleep at the time and didn't even hear it when it happened.
``We were up on the seventh floor and there was a lot of pandemonium when they kept bringing more and more injured people to the hospital.''
Alexander said his fellow umpires kidded him about the Olympics never finishing unless he was removed as an ump.
``The first three games I worked had rain delays,'' he said.
``We had an excellent crew. I developed a good friendship with a Korean umpire even though we couldn't say much to each other. He couldn't speak any English.
``Of course, the baseball field has a universal language. They all know `safe,' `out,' `ball' and `strike.' ''
Alexander said his busy work schedule kept him from attending events and he joined the millions who watched on television. ``I had hoped to see the Great Bridge boy (Lawrence Johnson) in the pole vault since it was right next to our stadium. But we had a game at the same time.''
He worked the left field line in the gold medal game, won by Cuba over Japan. ``Cuba had the best team in the tournament and deserved to win,'' he said.
Added Alexander: ``I guess you would call this the highlight of my umpiring career. It was something I will never forget.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by BILL TIERNAN
Richard ``Bullet'' Alexander, a longtime amateur and professional
umpire, has fond memories of the Olympic Games in Atlanta. He
umpired 12 baseball games, including the gold medal game between
Japan and Cuba. by CNB