Homegrown Ump

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Watching Thad Collins umpire it is hard to tell who is having more fun—him or the kids. That is because he was in the players’ shoes not so long ago and he knows what a thrilling win and a heartbreaking loss feel like, having experienced both as well as every possible emotion during his seven glorious years spent on the Field of Dreams.

Now, the proud PPBA alum is the newest member of his hometown Pony league’s umpiring crew and one month into the job he is having a blast not only calling out balls and strikes but teaching youngsters the fundamentals of baseball.

“I played all seven years from Pinto through Pony and loved every minute of it,” said the third oldest of four Collins boys whose father Joe headed the Cardinals organization, served as a board member and ran the Bat & Grill for many years while his sons were matriculating through the program. “I only got to play in one World Series, my last year of Bronco. We battled through the loser’s bracket to get to the finals but we lost to the Tigers . I loved to pitch but I also played third base, left field and catcher. [Head ump] Dirk Robinson called my games.”

Growing up in the Huntington, not far fron the park that became like his second home, Thad went to Corpus Christi, Calvary Christian and back to Corpus before moving on to Loyola High, where he was on the water polo and swim teams.

Before his junior year at UC Santa Cruz he started umping little league 9 and 10-year-olds for extra money and he found it rewarding in more ways than one. He also works as a counselor at St. Matthew’s Day Camp in the summer.

“I like encouraging them and making sure thery’re having fun,” said the 22-year-old, who graduated in December with a degree in film and digital media, which he has put to good use to collaborate with older brother Emmett (also a PPBA alum)on a feature-length screenplay titled The Golden Valley.”

Now living in the Alphabet Streets, Thad has decided to make unping his “career” for now while he gets his creative juices flowing on future storytelling projects. Younger brother Charlie is among his biggest supporters and with his pedigree Thad is well respected in the community.

“The best part is that I’m able to give back to the game and the league that gave me so much,” he said.