Marcus resident Bruce Dreckman has been named to the umpiring roster for the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game taking place in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, July 16.
Making the All-Star Game as a player means you are one of the most popular or best players in the league. This makes the honor quite a career achievement for those who play the game. For those who umpire, it is a little different. This is Dreckman’s second All-Star Game he has worked, and he says that means he has been doing this a long time.
Dreckman started his big-league umpiring career in the National League with his debut on April 5, 1996 working an 11-1 Chicago Cubs win at Wrigley Field over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since then, he has worked five division series, two league championship series, one wild card series, along with the World Baseball Classic and an all-star series in Japan. Dreckman says this opportunity is great since it will be a much more relaxed atmosphere than a playoff series.
The typical dream path of a young northwest Iowa boy who enjoys baseball is to become a player someday. Dreckman says he was different in that when everyone on the playground wanted to play, he wanted to umpire the game.
Dreckman went on to umpire men’s fast-pitch softball that was very popular in Sioux City when he was growing up. After that, Dreckman went to umpiring school, and the rest is history.
Watching a baseball game, it is tough to remind yourself that the guys umping the game are human beings just like us too. Dreckman says he has built a great relationship with those who compete by making sure he reminds them that he will screw up and acknowledge those mistakes.
Dreckman also has a word of wisdom for baseball fans and players who are about to get mad at umpires for making a call. Chances are, the umpires on the field are just as angry if not angrier than you when they find out they miss a call. Dreckman says the goal is to always get every call right, but that just does not always happen, much like hitters do not bat 1.000 for a season.
This opportunity will be a great family outing for the Dreckmans as well. In 2010, during his last All-Star Game assignment in Anaheim, California, Dreckman’s kids were too young to properly enjoy the atmosphere and the occasion. He says this year there will be plenty of people there to support him and get to take in the opportunity with him.
The umpiring profession is one that has been under some scrutiny and attack over the last few years leading to a shortage of officials at the high school level and lower. Those attacks from fans and players have kept many out of the profession altogether. Dreckman’s advice to anyone interested in giving officiating a try is to try not to take attacks from players, coaches, or fans personally.
Dreckman also says to reach out to other officials and umpires in the area if this is something that grabs your interest. He also hopes to someday start a camp for aspiring umpires to get the fundamentals of the job down before being thrown out to call balls and strikes.
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is Tuesday, July 16 at 7:00 PM in Arlington, Texas. You can watch Bruce and the rest of the stars from baseball’s highest level on FOX. Dreckman will be umpiring first base.
Listen to our full interview with MLB umpire and Marcus resident Bruce Dreckman in the player below.
