European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sl�.w-, "s$2. Or daily in Magazine Byre Bayles associated press in Welke strips off his sweat soaked t. Shift shrugs of the Purling Circle on his Chest from a 70-Mph faded Pilch and talks instead about an encounter with red sox Cal her Rick Cerano Over a Bah Call. He kept it up so i went Over and dusted the plate and i said another word and you re Oul and you know whal a did l say another  it s not always so easy in the world of major league umpiring a world of hotels and air planes and baits and strikes of boredom and screaming intensity of Anonym my and High profile scrutiny meet the umpires of Joe Brinkman s Crew Terry Cooney of Fresno calif., 55. Was a prison guard before an inmate suggested he d make a Good Umpire i like to Tell people i was conned into umpiring he says Tim Welke 30, was an Amateur Umpire in Kala woo. Mich., Whan he went to Umpire school hoping he players and coaches would step Yelling i used to Hale Lobo yelled  he says. Flow i m used 10  Durwood Merrill the 49 Yaar old preacher s son irom Texarkana Texas talks about umpiring with Quiel deliberation. Making Hal Call is so much of a High because it s All in your control and in your heart you knew you re right he says and there s Crew chief Joe Brinkman 44, a Sharp observer of Mankind whose easy going nature belies an intense dedication to Iho zen of officiating. A Man of Sharp wit Brinkman offers Lew amusing on Field anecdotes. What we do really in t very funny he says. There Are seven four Man Umpire Crews in the american league six in the National league working almost constantly from March to october. Before their 1979 strike the umps had no vacation. Pay ranged irom $17.000 to 550,000, and $40 a Day had to cover food and lodging today rookies make $42.000 a year a 20-year Veteran earns $105,000 the per diem has jumped to 1155. Sunday. The red Fox lose to Seattle 11-7. Tomo Row is one of six Days off and Welke and Merrill Rush to catch lights Home. Brinkman and Cooney will stay in Boston with their visiting wives in the game ump pcs  constantly deciding who watches the Gulf iced to foul balls and trapped flies and who shifts Lecover the bases. They move on each play in an intricate Ever changing choreography. It s All timing and  Cooney says. The plate Umpire Musl decide instantly if a 90-Mph fastball has passed through a vague rectangle bounded by the Batter s Chest and Knees and the 17-Inch Width of Home plate. The Umpire crouches Over lha Cal her exposed to wild pitches and lout balls thai carom off the Bat so hard you can smell the cowhide scorch. Every Lime they Don t swing at a pitch there s a decision to to made says Merrill. There May be 230,240 pitches a game and Whon in s Over you feel  monday. Brinkman slumps in his Seal on the drive to the Golf course recovering irom 3 . Sambucco and pizza with the Crew that replaced his. Golf is a Chance to gel out of the hotel and unwind. Brinkman was one of the first to bring clubs on the Road ii caused disapproving clucks irom league officials. They told me it was t right that i should spend my Lime thinking  says Brinkman. He ignored them now Many umps go while travelling umpires lend for themselves. They become wizards of aiding schedules and develop a network of hotel executives and restaurateurs who often give discounts or pick up tabs. Favors Are often returned in the currency of game Nickels. Tuesday. Brinkman and Cooney Fly to Baltimore Lor three games Between the orioles and Angels and Merrill comes in irom Texarkana via Dallas. They Are joined by Chuck Meriweather. An aaa league Umpire irom Nashville filling in or the ailing Relief Umpire who had replaced the vacationing Welke. Meriweather 31. Is being groomed Lor the big leagues. The sky lets Loose a half hour before game time. The umpires sit in their underwear for two hours watching television before the game is rescheduled As a twi night doubleheader thursday. All but Merrill head Lor a favorite haunt in lit lie Italy Wilh Tivee umps from the Carolina league who Tell of a acc Cal game where a 93-year-old grandmother Sang the Star spangled Banner. Wednesday. The rain slops 30 minutes before the game. Cooney behind the plate rubs canned mud on 60 balls to Cut the Slippery Sheen. Meriweather is at third Brinkman at second and Merrill at first. Each Umpire has a distinctive Stylo Merrill is dramatic flourishes Cooney All slow deliberation. Brinkman gestures strikes As if he were using a punching bag. Even Meriweather. Who moves languidly on obvious outs whip saws his Long arms on close plays. You All Slart Oul learning the same motions in school then you develop your own techniques says Cooney. On close plays you have to be dramatic. You have to sell the Call to everyone so there is no room for  thursday Merrill prepares Tor the plate by donning customized knee supporters. Above the knee he has written strike below the knee  in Between is a zone labelled not  he adds Long Johns a cup. Shin guards and pants an inside Chest protector shoos Wilh Sloe places a mask Wilh a Throat protector. The Armor is barely enough. A foul lip catches his inside leg. Causing the knee to swell painfully she eight hours he is on the Field. It s a Wel and lonely 1 . When the Crew leaves the stadium. Merrill limps to the car. They catch a few hours sleep before flying of new York for a weekend series at Yankee stadium. Meriweather returns to Omaha and the limbo of am Ball. A belter epilogue came on the sunny sunday outside Fenway Park. Brinkman and Cooney walk Oul the players Gate unnoticed by lans wailing Lor a demons or a Boggs and Cooney hands a scuffed Ball to a kid of 8. Cooney docs this occasionally bending Low to say in his Gruff voice now Don l let me hear you say nothing bad about  today he says nothing just walks on to Hunt Lor a can. Leaving the kid to stare Al this cowhide version of a Silver Bullet to guess who was thai stranger and to wonder if he should have thanked him. Big league decisions in your heart you know you re right Jos Brinkman in american league Umpire cutting a Payet first Bate. How Many and How much the number of officials Lor tha four major professional sports and the salary Range for each. Number number silly total Pergens major league Bemba la National 33 basketball association 2t 40,000101100,000 postseason not included $31,00010100.000 includes pos Tuason National football league National hockey a ague 107 35 r a $1,800 per game Mulburn  per Puj Yoh came 7,500 for super bowl $24,0001075,000 postseason not induced not including replay  tin . Ptan Ito we i third official Mil m0fl. Sou a Nilion a a tuesday june 14, 1988 the stars and stripes of sports Oil Kex. Page 13