Thomas Ranson: For love of the game, Jack Beach thrived as an official
With the scoreboard in the background, Jack Beach umpires a baseball game at the 2018 Regional Tournament that was held in Fallon.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
A coach ran across the field, without calling for time, and began yelling at the umpire over a missed call.
Instead of engaging in a shouting match with this notorious travel ball coach, the umpire stayed calm and collected. He explained the reason for the call and asked the coach to return to his dugout. Not satisfied with the response, he walked back, still frustrated. His team still won and would eventually win the second game of the doubleheader against the California school.
After knowing Jack Beach since I could pick up a baseball bat, the first game I umpired with this Fallon legend came more than a decade ago when we partnered together to work a summer doubleheader. Jack, who retired from coaching after his daughter, Kasey Chu, graduated in 2003, jumped into umpiring high school softball and baseball. Never would I have imagined that this past spring season would be his last after Jack died last month after battling a short illness.
The biggest takeaway I learned from working with Jack was this incident with him and the travel ball coach running across the field during live play to argue a call. The stories about his demeanor are true. He was always the calmest one on the field and never let coaches, players or fans bother him or influence his calls. I was lucky enough to work with Jack multiple times before I hung up the umpire gear six years ago.
Many others were just as fortunate to work with Jack.
“Working with Jack always carried an air of experience and calm,” said Charles Scott, a Reno resident who worked with Jack on six assignments. “Yet, each time I worked with him, I felt like the game was going to go well. That feeling was warranted. Each game went smoothly. The years Jack spent on the field was evident.”
Scott, who worked with Beach once on a two-man crew — the other occasions were on a three-man crew — recalled his only assignment with Beach during his final season.
“In our only 2-man game, this year in fact, we met in Fernley. Jack's strike zone was fabulous,” Scott recalled. “It was like second nature. We'd only worked together with him in the field before. He had me spending more time traveling and dressing than on the field. Every time we were on the field, Jack always had his calm and easygoing demeanor. I lament not having more opportunities to work and learn from him. I could have learned a lot from him.”
But Scott said not all is lost. He plans on applying the lessons he learned about Jack’s demeanor.
“Now that the opportunity has passed, I will always try to keep the assurance of experience and calmness in my work on the field,” he said. “While the opportunities were few, I will definitely keep close the games we worked together. I will lament not having Jack around.”
Like Scott, Chris Healy was able to work with Jack this spring.
Healy, who serves as the commissioner of the region’s high school baseball officials’ chapter, said that Jack was devoted to the game, including its participants, and was able to express calm during tough situations.
“We ask our umpires to be the calmest people on the field, which isn’t as easily done as said during the heat of competition,” Healy said. “Jack Beach was one of those umpires who could express calm in tough situations. There was a calmness about him, which let you know that he had things well in hand. He was devoted to the kids, the coaches, the game and to his partner. In umpiring, being a good partner is highly valued. Jack Beach was a great partner.”
With the regular umpire meetings for both baseball and softball in Reno, it meant that Jack and his fellow umpires who resided in Fallon needed to commute. Eddie Sharp, who officiated basketball, volleyball, softball and baseball, got into high school umpiring the same year as Jack. Sharp witnessed Jack’s knowledge from playing and coaching several state championship teams and how that carried over into officiating. Coupled with his familiarity with the coaches in the region, Sharp said it made Jack an official you wanted to be assigned to.
“I have spent a lot of time with Jack on both the field and the court, and I can say I always felt good about doing a game when I knew Jack was going to be my partner,” Sharp said. “As an official, you are always concerned about who your partner was going to be, but with Jack you knew you were with an official who was going to do his level best to get every call right and was happy to be there.”
One thing that Sharp admired about Beach was his dedication to the youth. Not only did Jack officiate high school sports, but he also spent time with the younger leagues in Fallon. Jack also officiated basketball and volleyball and would even travel to the NAS Fallon to work a flag football game.
“Jack had worked his way to the top tier of softball and baseball officiating at the high school level and even with all of his hard work and moving to the top, he was willing still to help out and cover the youth games, which is something a lot of officials will not do when they have become high-level high school officials,” Sharp added about Beach, who also served as the president of the high school softball officials chapter.
Jack’s devotion to sports in the community was never questioned.
From the time he stepped onto the field and court to lead the Greenwave to multiple state championships to coaching several teams to glory to giving back through officiating, Jack’s presence was felt in and out of Fallon. But more important than his demeanor in being the calmest on the field, Jack was a great partner who loved sports. He loved the community. He loved watching the youth play the game.
“Jack was solid figure in Northern Nevada sports and he is going to be missed by many,” Sharp said. “Jack loved sports and he loved the youth he worked with, and this made him the good official that he was. Most officials are there for the money, but Jack was there for the love of the game.”
