
DATE: Sunday, July 20, 1997                 TAG: 9707180267

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Close-Up 

SOURCE: Scott McCaskey

                                            LENGTH:   71 lines

BETTY L. CAHOON SOFTBALL UMP, CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR

Betty L. Cahoon has liked to play softball since she was a little girl. About 11 years ago, she decided she see what things were like on the other side of the plate, in an umpire's mask.

Today, she is an umpire for both men's and women's amateur softball leagues, as well as the newly formed Women's Professional Fast Pitch League, which has a team based in Hampton called the Virginia Roadsters.

``Being an umpire means you can still stay with the game after your playing years,'' said Cahoon, 37, who lives in the Norfolk Highlands section.

Cahoon umpires locally for the Tidewater Amateur Softball Association, the American Softball Association and the Southeastern Collegiate Officials Association. Bill Branham also umpires in those leagues.

``She's an excellent umpire,'' said Branham of Cahoon. ``She's very consistent in her ball-and-strike calls, and she has proved herself in a field dominated by males. She has umpired some national tournaments.''

While umpiring might still be primarily a man's domain, Cahoon says that more women play softball than men, and that the ladies numbers are growing.

``The sport is not age restrictive,'' Cahoon said. ``And now with the Title IX ruling that men's and women's collegiate sports have to be equitably funded, you're seeing a lot more women's scholarships in softball.''

There are two basic types of softball, slow-pitch, which is more recreational, and fast-pitch, which is more competitive. Cahoon, who plays in a Chesapeake slow-pitch league, said that the fast-pitch variety has grown significantly, noting that 11 years ago there were only two or three fast-pitch leagues in the area, compared to more than 20 today. Combined, there are about 50 slow- and fast-pitch leagues in Chesapeake, according to Cahoon.

Cahoon spends most of her weekends during the summer and fall behind the plate. During the week, she works as a construction inspector and supervisor for Chesapeake's Department of Public Utilities.

While she does get paid for being an umpire, she says it's mostly the love of the sport that keeps her in the mask. She says she is excited about umpiring the opening year for the Women's Professional Fast-Pitch League.

``There's a lot of good ball being played by those girls,'' Cahoon said. ``It's much more serious than the amateur game. The players are out to win.''

Full name: Betty L. Cahoon

Birthdate: August 21, 1959

Occupation: Construction inspector and supervisor for Chesapeake's Department of Public Utilities

Hometown: Camden, N.C.

What brought you to Chesapeake? I lived in a rural community and came here to look for a job.

Marital status: Single

Pets: Two cats, Boots, and Scruffy

Hobbies: Yard work, making picture frames and tinkering with wood

Perfect day off: Kicking back on the back porch with a newspaper and falling asleep with the newspaper on my face

Favorite restaurant: Applebee's

Favorite music: Oldies

Favorite movie: ``Gone With The Wind''