Steve Schwartz spends most of his time as an advocate in his profession as a trial lawyer.
But one of his favorite avocations finds the 55-year-old Portland native as a judge of sorts, and he’s currently applying that skill in what might be described as the Supreme Court of Little League softball.
Schwartz is one of 11 volunteer umpires from around the world selected to work at the 2016 Little League Softball World Series that began Wednesday in Portland, Oregon. His first assignment was at home plate for the tournament’s opening game between U.S. Southwest champion Helotes, Texas, and the Europe-Africa representative from the Netherlands.
“It’s an honor,” he said of his first-game duty, “but it was purely the luck of the draw.”
Schwartz will work daily through the first four days of the 10-team international event that will continue through Aug. 17, with subsequent assignments for all the umpires yet to be determined.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected as one of 12 umpires from around the world (one was unable to make the trip) to be working games with essentially the best U12 players from around the world,” said Schwartz. “It is extremely exciting. I’ve probably had a grin on my face from ear to ear since I got here.”
Schwartz has been active in Portland Little League baseball and softball for nearly 15 years since signing his oldest son up to play. Initially he became a coach and manager, but he’s also served on the board of directors and for the last seven years has umpired both baseball and softball for the Maine District 6 program.
“To me umpiring is a way to give back to the community, volunteer umpiring especially,” said Schwartz, currently the Portland Little League’s umpire-in-chief. “It’s also something that’s very, very enjoyable.”
Umpiring is also something Schwartz takes very seriously, as he continues to seek out knowledge about both his craft and both softball and baseball by reading about the subjects and conversing with other umpires and coaches.
When he learned he had been selected to umpire in the 2015 Little League Softball East Regional Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, he became certified by the Western Maine umpiring board to begin working junior high and high school games and to take advantage of educational opportunities through that association.
“I look at every game I work as an opportunity to get better,” he said. “That could be because of who I work with or it could be because I’ve reviewed the rules or the case book and I see something in a new light. I hope I improve in every game that I do.”
After working in Bristol last summer, Schwartz applied for and subsequently was chosen for this year’s World Series duty.
“The allure of the game is that it’s the purest form of this sport,” he said. “Everyone is a volunteer from top to bottom, including the umpires in Maine, and it’s where kids learn the fundamentals of the game.”
“Once I went to the regional last year and did it, I was bitten by the bug. This is a great way to spend a week — or in this case two weeks — of your life if you love the game and you love umpiring.”
But even though Schwartz is on the other side of the country this week getting the chance to practice his passion for umpiring on a grand Little League stage, there’s no getting away from his law practice — this phone conversation, which took place at 6 a.m. Oregon time, was followed immediately by a phone call to a client.
“I have a very busy solo practice with a great staff but I can’t completely leave it home, which is why I’m working mornings here,” he said. “But when I’m on the field, the only thing I’m thinking about is that game and the rules.
“Umpiring is actually a great stress reducer for me. I remember one parent saying to me, ‘This must be very stressful,’ and I said, ‘Actually this is the least stressful thing I do in my life.’”
