The Leading Edge: Umpire Stories

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment Continues our talk with Alberta Umpire – Matt Payne   Topics include his International Baseball Experience, Surviving Hurricanes, The Murray Service Umpire of the year award and much more.   So, sit back, relax, get ready - it's coming!

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with Alberta Umpire – Matt Payne   Topics include how he got into Umpiring, attending professional umpire school, working Independent Professional Baseball & The Western Canadian Baseball League across Western Canada, various Baseball Canada National Championships and much, much more.   So, sit back, relax, get ready - it's coming!

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment returns with Canadian Olympic Umpire - Brian Hodgson.   Topics include stories from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, getting free umpire equipment, appeals to end Olympic games, awkward sized baseball stadiums, working professional baseball, his various accolades, 10 questions, his local legends and words of wisdom.   So, sit back, relax, get ready -...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with long time Manitoban umpire – Brian Hodgson.   Topics include stories from his 17 Baseball Canada National Championships – including working the 1997 Canada Games, the Senior Nationals in Weyburn, SK, flying first class and becoming a “big shooter” in Panama, working with current MLB umpires – Adrian Johnson, Scott Barry & Mike Estabrook at an O...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment sits down with New Brunswick Baseball Umpire Association (NBBUA) President/Provincial Supervisor - Mike Doucette.   Topics include stories from Paul’s Motor Inn, Bucky’s back yard & BBQ, organizing and chairing a Baseball Canada Cup hosting committee, overseeing the NBBUA, President of Moncton Minor Baseball, being a small business owner of AtlanticOffici...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment sits down with Baseball Alberta Umpire Tyler Bourne. Topics covered include getting into umpiring at the same time as his father, attending the Wendelstedt Umpire School, working 4 Baseball Canada national events, “Touche pas ça”, being a Baseball Canada clinician, attending a Baseball Canada Caravan, his prediction of the 2022 World Series Champions, and...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment sits down with BCBUA member and newest (up till this point) MiLB umpire - Craig Burt. Topics covered include getting into umpiring, attending the Wendelstedt Umpire School, working multiple Baseball Canada National events, being the recipient of the BCBUA Ron Boutang Memorial Scholarship, working his first MiLB games and much much more. So sit back, relax...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment brings to you the second half of the interview with current Baseball Canada, WBSC and former MiLB umpire Keith McConkey. Topics covered include coming back from Winter Ball and finishing up his MiLB career, the 2005 MLB Futures Game, 2005 Home Run Derby, getting back into the Baseball Canada Umpire program, WBSC events in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada (18U...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment shares with you the first half of the interview with current Baseball Canada, WBSC and former MiLB umpire Keith McConkey. Topics covered are his playing career as a catcher, getting into umpiring for cold hard cash, making his way to umpire school, landing a job in MiLB and the fun he had working Cocoa Expo spring training, staying in swanky motels in A &...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment chats with Nova Scotia native and current MiLB umpire – Alex Lawrie.   Topics covered are getting into umpiring, working 2 Baseball Canada national championships, his three trips to umpire school, working the former Can-Am Independent Professional Baseball League, getting the nod for his current job with MiLB, his first kiss, turning unassisted triple pla...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment chats with long-time Saskatchewan umpire and man of mystery – Elemer Jerkovits. Topics covered are how he broke his arm and got into umpiring, working baseball in and around Regina, SK, favourite Larry Schrader moments, working various Baseball Canada National Championships, representing Canada at 3 International Baseball Events, his longevity in the SMBL...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment chats with Nova Scotia import Andrew Downs   Topics covered are him winning the Beaver B provincial championship in 1989, representing Newfoundland as a 15U coach at the Baseball Canada Nationals in 1998, working the all Newfoundland Senior Men’s Provincial Championship, the countless Baseball Canada National Championships as an umpire & supervisor and ha...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment sits down with 40-year umpire veteran – Trevor Stoyko. Topics covered are his experiences working both baseball and softball in Canada.  Working Baseball in South East Saskatchewan and Independent Professional Baseball around the country, his works in professional wrestling, living on the road in the Western Canadian Baseball League, the time he got to um...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment sits down with long-time Prince Edward Island and Baseball Canada umpire – Kent Walker.   Topics covered are his experiences working baseball in beautiful PEI – including a unique scenario in his first game, attending various Baseball Canada National Championships, the 2002 World Junior Baseball Championships in Sherbrooke Quebec, the Prince Edward Island...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment continues with BCBUA Provincial Supervisor and a guy who dreams of one day owning an Alpaca - Steve Boutang.   Topics covered are his experiences at Tournament 12 (T12), working 3 international championships, celebrating his 40th birthday, an atypical pre-game routine at the World University Games, heavy rain and sharing personal equipment in Taiwan, the...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with a long-time British Columbia Baseball Umpire Association (BCBUA) member and current Provincial Supervisor and a guy that once had a side gig as a Wedding Singer - Steve Boutang.   Topics covered are his playing career, getting into umpiring, his time in the Golden League, working games with former Major League Umpires - Ian Lamplugh, Ron Barnes...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with a long-time Baseball Ontario, Canada & WBSC umpire, a veteran of 2 World Baseball Classic Championships, the 2015 WBSC Premier 12 Premier 12, a Dick Willis award recipient, and is Olympic Bound in 2021 – Trevor Grieve.   Topics covered are his playing career, getting into umpiring, his experiences at umpire school as a student & instructor, wor...

On this holiday special Leading Edge Entertainment talks with an umpire who has worked his way from grassroots baseball, up through the Baseball Canada Umpire Development program, took a shot and is currently living his dream of working Major League Baseball – Stu Scheurwater.   Topics covered are his junior football days, receiving the 2001 Baseball Saskatchewan Lou Slotsve Junior umpire of the y...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with Baseball Newfoundland Executive Director, an umpire who has umpired at 7 Baseball Canada national championships a man with a passion for the WWE, and a guy who’s not ashamed to wear his socks with Crocs to Walmart  – Ryan Garland.   Topics covered are his absentee playing career, the work Baseball Newfoundland is doing to grow their female base...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with an umpire who played senior baseball for well over 20 years before getting into umpiring full time, was once kicked out his local umpire association for winning a protest and a man who grew up on cod liver oil – David “Bucky” Buckingham. Topics covered are his playing career, multiple trips to the Canada Games, umpiring at the Pan American Game...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with an umpire who got into umpiring because his brother's team needed an umpire, worked his first Senior game with now current MLB umpire Stu Scheurwater and a guy who has the most photographic memory we know – Bob Sonder. Topics covered are him getting into umpiring, working the Saskatchewan Summer Games, Western Canadian Baseball League, Senior B...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with Baseball Manitoba VP of Umpires, an umpire who got into umpiring because an umpire challenged him to do better and a guy who's favourite WWE wrestler was/is Dude Love - Ashton Liskie. Topics covered are him getting into umpiring, working various baseball leagues in Manitoba, his role with the Baseball Manitoba umpire executive, the vision/goals...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with Baseball Quebec Laval Umpire Rep, an umpire who has worked Baseball Canada national championships from Pee Wee to Tournament 12, and a guy who is not scared to splurge on a good ice cream postgame - Philippe Lamoureux. Topics covered are getting into umpiring, working the Quebec games live on RDS, how he likes to wear base pants on the plate, h...

On this episode Leading Edge Entertainment talks with 1991 Baseball Canada & International Champion World Youth Champion, a proud British Columbia Baseball Umpire Association & Baseball Canada Umpire and a guy who likes to tuck his T-Shirt in - Blaise Laveay. Topics covered are playing for BC at the Canada Cup & Canada Games, his road to the 1991 Baseball Canada World Youth Team, hitting a home ru...

Thanks for coming back to part 2 of Top of the 7th Episode where Leading Edge Entertainment talks with Ron Shewchuk. Topics covered during this half of the interview include his international experience, working behind AJ Hinch without a garbage can, lending a future number 1 pick and millionaire  50 cents in the airport, working the 2008 Olympics, the Baseball Canada umpire program, being named t...