After one year in the Texas League, the American League bought the rights to my contract. They optioned me back to the Texas League for the 1970 season.

When I was 14, I played in a summer league. One night the chief umpire asked me if I would like to try umpiring. There was a Little League tournament coming up and he needed more umpires than he had.

I had a great first year and Mr. MacDonald was my biggest supporter. He gave me the encouragement I needed that first year to get my career started on a positive note.

My dad was a carpenter and I would work with him during the summer and umpire on the nights I wasn't playing.

The vast majority of people who watch baseball can properly call 95% of all plays that happen on the field. My job is to teach you how to call the other 5%.

I have looked back on situations and thought that I could have handled a few differently and probably better.

Most plays that are missed by the umpire are caused by the umpire not reading those cues early enough and making the proper adjustments.