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hAlithlHflfloNfl u «woman Feb/tion ii gum-2: . I Yer outta here. , O C I C O 0 Waterloo 8 chiefumplre hits the showers while passmg on hls love for the game 8\ (But. Mu Domain “l was sitting in the stands and i didn't calls were the opposite of common pereep tailing the game . . ( igli‘ffff‘fl . ,, 77 »_ like the refereeing. I've always beett of the tion. After a player velieittetitly disputed a fii "7 l 7 if mind that ifyou don't like something, you do “Everyone always assumes that a tie lat strike call. lleilietii tossed hiiti trout the her more than mo decades of strikes. something about it," he said the base} goes to a runner, but you have to game He then heard the broadcaster say, "I Admin. full counts. home-plate dustâ€"ups “$0 l became a (hockey) referee." beat the ball to the base." lleibeiti said, don't know what lthe player) was talking ‘ itd es en a broken t‘ollarbone, Bob After working his way He even catches professionals about. the uitip has been calling that a strike lleibein is retiring through the annals of minor _ mixtng up tlte rules sometimes. all game," Waterloo Minot Baseball's umpire in hockey. he ended up on the '41 “When my kids and l are at lleibein'sfacelit up. chief is stepping down ltoiii ltis role after referee executive committee. “i ' L, » home watching the Blue lays the " l'hat was the greatest toitipltnient you tttnpitig for :4 years During one of the exet‘tt & ’ , announcers Will be explaining can get." he laughed He‘s been the umpire in chief for 18 of tive meetings, an umpire ’ 74-2.... . H" why an umpire made aeall and Another littercounty mentory is less those year. and while he Will still be involved approached Heibein to ask is ' . .. ’ 13,”; > i we’ll be shaking our heads say» pleasant. Heibein was struck by a high and ' with the organization. lleibein decided it him to spread the word » \ , g ‘ ‘-’ ,, ‘-. ing.‘.\lo it isn't.'" Heibein said, inside pitch on his shoulder. breaking his was time to take a step back, that umpires were need- ,’ A few years after he got all collarbone. It won't be easy. ed, "ixnox, the rules down pat. lleibein He tried to keep going, bitt eventually lleibein has always been strongmlled. to lleibein decided he a became the chief umpire and was taken to the hospital. put it mildly, so it will be tough to keep his would answer that call, if: y It hasn't looked back. "Every time the ball went into the air opinions to himself “I was getting beat up ' He also worked up the we're supposed to take our masks off. l mu But it was his knees [ital made most of all winter so l thought umpire ranks arid called games ally use my right hand to lift it off but it lturt the decision to step domt. I might as well get C _ for the Intercounty too much and l was too clumsy to do it with “I've got arthritis and iortt ligaments iii beat up all . ,' myleft so i couldn't keep going." both my knees.” Heibein said “Besides, you * ( Heibein had to take six months off u but can't keep the same ll'lllt'l i all the time or b : . when he was really needed. he called games there will be no growth in the association," ‘ f .2 4 ‘5 ‘ H . iii a sling. llelbein ushered iii some big changes ' 4. That's what made him special and a real himself too over the decades His biggest _ . .g ,I/ \ asset to local baseball. said Robbie Mulder. act‘omplishnient was instituting a top 'fl president ofWatetloo Minor Baseball. notch training program that has made " - ." . ’ / His loss will be felt in the organir \\"aterloo Minor Baseball's umpires _ ‘. nation. sortie oftlte best. ii "it's a huge loss to Waterloo "Our system is unrivalled across . f ‘ -' ’ Minor Baseball." she said. "He the provint e." Heibein said "it's ‘. ‘, g, ’1’; / . had a huge amount of dedicate envied." i. i I “’5. tion and knowledge of the lhe training system is mod» \v , N,” V " ' gameofbaseball." j. elledDafter the one used itt Wen» . And that‘s what Mul- delstedi Umpire School in \ w _ der will remember most l'lorida. which produces l Ff about Heibein â€" his umpires for Mann league "3 love ofthe game. Baseball. § . y “He could stand It has oilit ials working . V ' around and talk base» with trainees behind the l “ ball for hours. He plate to teach them correct / would toss a coach and calls and procedures. . ‘ l 4.; “:5" then stick around after A friend of Heibein's ' ,, 3%”? the game talking to attended the school and just 3* 9 :3?" him." she said. missed oitt on entering the _<â€" Heibein said he Mill When he returned to g _ 191;. ' Will stick around 85 Waterloo. he told lietbein ’ ~ , if .. ‘ an advisor to the about the school's system ' ' . "' l > new umpire in chief " lhere were a lot of ‘ My . l . , 3' and will continue to things we weren‘t doing _ ft“ ii ‘ ff ’ umpire the odd right that weshould have -’ r H, " : , ; .23; : game. been doing. So we figured ~ ’ - ' v J - . I A And even though we should do it right." he Bob Heibein_ SS, is retiring as umpire in Chief after 24 years with Waterloo Minor Baseball The respected ump will still have a role in he's retired. llEibCin said. the organization, are warm mow didn't miss a chance Now the Waterloo sys~ to get the message tem is known throughout the province as summer, too.” he said, Baseball League, the highest level of baseball out. one of the best and the umpire in chief has While Heibein had played baseball, be locally. "We still need umps. i don't care if you're received compliments on it from around the wasn‘t [00 percent on all ofthe mles. That's where he had two of his most male. female. boy. girl. old or young. As long country and the United States. “i was better at baseball but i knew more memorable moments in umpiring. as you're 12. you can be an ump.” he said. lleibein's t)ffi(‘iating career began when about hockey." lleibein said. "the first was when he was calling a Kitch~ Waterloo Minor Baseball registration he was watching one of his brother‘s hockey it took some intense training for him to ener Panthers game for the first time and takes place Feb. is and 19 at Conestoga ' games. figure everything out. Even the most basic he could hear the television broadcaster Mall. . Are Your Assets Safe. ,, ,a .. If you've built a portfolio of S l 50,000 or more in assets, you owe it to yourself to attend this FREE seminar. ., V "5‘ ‘3 IN THIS SEMINAR YOU WILL LEARN HOWTO: ‘ I g .. O - Receive a TAX REFUND mthout (Combating to an RRSP - Proud and reduce TAX BURDEN on your «at: . . - Convert W Interest to a TAX DEDUCTIBLE investment expense - Unit-n mm: to help PROTECT YOUR WEALTH ._ ' , - Benefit from the government} new TAX FREE savings M300": . 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