'I Love This Game': Legendary Twin Cities Umpire Larry Gallagher Retires After 65 Years Behind The Plate
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Twin Cities umpire Larry Gallagher has honed his craft for 65 years -- beginning when he was just 15.
He decided to retire before the start of this season, before the COVID-19 outbreak struck.
"Probably can't run at all. It's probably not safe for me to be out there for two reasons: My own safety, and the safety of the players. Because I just can't get out of the way of line drives," Gallagher said. "I quit football about four years ago for the same reason. Quit basketball two years ago for the same reason."
What he did was become a local legend at his craft. When Gallagher showed up, you knew were going to get a great effort.
"The anticipation of I get to do this again. I get to do this for whatever time, the first time, the last time maybe. I did an over-35 game last year. I knew that was going to be it," he said.
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He worries a bit that with no season there will be fewer candidates that want to umpire.
"We need so many more, and will this, once we start up again … does that bring more out, or does that bring less out?" he said.
And because he was too a great athlete in his youth, he feels for those that never got a season.
"Players don't get to play, the seniors especially, both college and high school. The kid that made the team for the first time," he said.
But as he and his wife sit back and get through what we're all getting through, he is thankful that the last 65 springs and summers have been filled with joy.
"I love the game. I gave me so many, many opportunities," he said. "There's something new every pitch, so that's what I like about it."