Four umpires from the NJSIAA earned the opportunity to don the blue in the New York Yankees’ Old Timers’ Day Game on August 8th (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Ask any kid growing up in the Tri-State area about their childhood dream for when they’re older.
A good number of them will point to swinging the bat – or toeing the rubber – for the New York Yankees.
But another dream was accomplished in the Bronx on Saturday.
Four present or former NJSIAA umpires, Gary Giackette, Warren Bennett, Chris Parkhill, and Bill Killduff, donned the blue for the Yankees’ annual Old Timers’ Day game on Saturday. Bennett patrolled home plate, Killduff worked first base, Parkhill at second, and Giackette at third.
In an opportunity that the quartet all agreed was a “surreal” one, the afternoon was full of laughs and smiles as legends from many different eras of Yankees lore came together to put on a show.
The Bombers poked out a 3-2 victory over the Clippers, with plenty of highlight-reel plays from former Yankees of (relatively) young and old.
Many of these players brought familiarity to the four umpires, having seen plenty of star-studded talent come through the Garden State over the years. That includes Toms River-native Todd Frazier, who arguably won MVP honors with an RBI double and a wicked play at the hot corner.
In a full-circle moment, Giackette and Killduff had seen Frazier make eye-popping plays in the infield for many years. Both of them umpired Toms River East American’s 1998 Little League state final victory over Randolph in Sayreville, on the way to winning the Little League World Series over Japan in Williamsport.
Frazier starred at shortstop and on the mound that year, on the way to a powerhouse career at Rutgers and a ten-year stint in the MLB as a consistent fan favorite, including three months with the Yankees after a deadline trade from the Chicago White Sox.
The legends weren’t afraid to bring out the theatrics, either.
Former star catcher Jorge Posada, whose No. 20 jersey was retired four years after retiring, tried to jokingly call an ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) challenge in the first inning after Bennett called a breaking ball out of the zone.
His request was promptly denied by public address announcer Paul Olden. Another batter tried to do the same later in the three-inning showcase after a fastball up in the zone was called a strike, once again to no avail.
Maybe next year!
With their decades of umpiring experience, the four all have built up strong reputations across the state — Bennett is currently the first Vice President of the NJ State Federation of Umpires, and Giackette the secretary — while Kilduff retired two years ago after 50 years on the job.
And on Saturday in the Bronx, they got to do so in the big leagues.
Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with umpires Gary Giackette, Warren Bennett, Chris Parkhill, and Bill Killduff before umpiring the New York Yankees Old Timers’ Day Game:
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