A new pair of black turf shoes with good traction.
That’s the reason why Scott Mosher has been spending more time shopping than he normally does.
Mosher, a 40-year-old Corner Brook resident who is a 10-year veteran with the Royal Newfoundland and Constabulary, takes pride in being a Level 4 umpire.
He hasn’t had any luck finding new footwear to replace the black sneakers he wears as part of his baseball uniform.
Mosher, with 15 years of umpiring service to his credit, will call his first national baseball tournament when he umpires at the 2018 national 13U boys baseball championship Sept. 13-16 in Summerside, P. E. I.
He’s gotten away with wearing black sneakers for the past couple of years, but he wants to look his best when he goes onto the field for the biggest tournament of his life so he was determined to get off his wallet and purchase new footwear.
He has always been particular about being dressed like a professional when he takes to the field so finding new turf shoes is something he will continue to do over the next few weeks.
“You’ve already set that first impression for the players and the coaches,” he said. “If you look like crap then automatically it’s going to take you that much longer to gain the respect of the players.”
Umpiring is a continuation of his lifelong connection to the game of baseball in Corner Brook. He played the game at the minor and senior level, his career coming to an end in 2016, and he scored games and served on the Corner Brook Baseball Association executive in a number of roles throughout his long history with the game.
He stepped up to help out the association when there was a need for new blood in the umpiring pool and he had no qualms because it provided him an avenue to keep connected with the game long after his playing days were behind him.
Mosher never had the opportunity to play or coach at the national level so getting the call to do games in Summerside is his way of finding out what it’s like to be involved in a national tournament with the stakes pretty high.
“It’s as close to the action as you’re going to get and that has a particular draw for me,” he said.
Mosher takes the good with the bad because it’s his connection to the game and that means a lot to him because the game was good to him when he grew up embracing the sport.
“It’s not always a bed of roses,” he said. “There’s times where you’re not very well liked or not well spoken too. But, on the flip side, there’s a lot more times where things are going well and all you’re there for is to just manage the game and let the players decide what’s going on.”
It will be a fun time he figures and he hopes it won’t be the last. He has no visions of being a pro or anything, but he wants to continue working games and getting better at his craft so he positions himself well for another gig down the road.
He’s going to find himself in the mix with a lot of veteran umpires who have impressive resumes and a vast knowledge of the game that can be shared with those coming up through the system.
“I will be able to pick the brains of some of the other fellas who have been around for a while,” he said.
All he needs now is a pair of those black turf shoes to fill out his uniform.
