If you watch the video of Pete Rose?s record-breaking 4,192nd hit in 1985, you might see Fred Brocklander.
He stood behind second base as an umpire, in the hat with an inter-locking “NL.”
In most instances, an umpire remains behind the scenes, and only gets attention when a call goes awry.
“It?s one of the few vocations in the world where you don?t expect to win a popularity contest,” said Brocklander, who attended Calvert Hall and the University of Baltimore.
He also noted that umpiring is “one of the few professions in the world where you?re supposed to be perfect and get better.”
Brocklander understands his role as an unsung character on the baseball diamond, and cherishes the memories.
He has collectibles in his Odenton home from his years in the big leagues, including some from his favorite individuals, including Rose and former baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti.
After 11 years of doing minor league games, Brocklander joined a National League crew in 1979. He continued for about 11 seasons, with brief comeback stints for two years after his initial retirement in 1990.
Brocklander, 66, stays involved in athletics.
He coaches soccer at Mount Hebron High, and currently umpires high school softball games in Anne Arundel and Howard counties. This winter, he?s looking to get back into basketball as a referee.
“One of the greatest aspects of officiating is that you?re dealing with people at their absolute emotional worst,” Brocklander said. “And you have to try, within a short amount of time, to make some sense of it.”
Interaction with others is what keeps him going today.
None of his accomplishments have come without sacrifice, however.
His right arm has a bruise that came as result of a foul ball at a recent high school softball game. He?s been through roughly a dozen knee surgeries in his career, but Brocklander wouldn?t trade his experiences and stories for anything.
BROCKLANDER UNMASKED
» Brocklander?s wife, Dorrit, is from Denmark and is fluent in six languages. They have three daughters: Stephanie (New Freedom, Pa.), Basila (Woodlawn), Stefanie (Severn).
» Brocklander was born and raised in Maryland but lived in New York for 28 years. He attended Calvert Hall High School, where he played baseball.
» He offficiated in four soccer leagues, and was on the field for the final event at the Polo Grounds: a soccer game between a German team and a team from Israel.
» He officiated NBA games, college basketball and softball games, and baseball winter league games in South America and the Caribbean.
