Oral history - Maurie Reynolds

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2022

Overview

Oral history '20 Years Umpiring Baseball', recorded with Maurie Reynolds, Western Australian baseball umpire.

[Click on arrows above Maurie Reynolds' photo to locate audio file.]

Historical information

Western Australian Maurice 'Maurie' Reynolds was born in Kalgoorlie in 1941. He played baseball for Thornlie and Nedlands for several years in the early 1960s when it was still a winter sport. During that time he began umpiring junior baseball games, where a lack of umpires meant he stood behind the pitcher, umpiring plate and bases.
From the late 1960s Reynolds umpired senior grade games, which included local league baseball and representing Western Australia at Claxton Shield level on 13 occasions from 1973/1974 up to 1991/1992. He umpired 161 Australian Baseball League games and was the crew chief on all of those occasions. His skill level and ability to manage games brought him the highest accolades during this time.
Due to Reynolds's well-honed umpiring ability, he was selected to represent Australia on four occasions: 1983/84, 1984/85, 1987/88 and 1988/89. These appointments were in Asia, and also for international tournaments held in Australia. He also officiated at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-100-2020.CD.6

Themes

People

Social History

Sport

Inscriptions and markings

[On CD cover]
'Maurie Reynolds'
'20 years of baseball'
'35 min'

Contextual Information

Maurie Reynolds was considered by many to be a "players umpire" due to his innate understanding of how the game should be played. He also held Executive positions with the West Australian Baseball Umpires Association - 10 years as Treasurer; 3 years as President. After 27 years of umpiring at the highest level, Reynolds retired in 1994.
In 1997/98 he was awarded the West Australian Baseball League Meritorious Award and in 2021 he was an inaugural inductee into the Baseball WA Hall of Fame.

Keywords

Maurie Reynolds

Baseball WA Hall of Fame

Western Australian Baseball Umpires Association

Claxton Shield Series

Australian Baseball Umpires

Olympic Baseball

International Baseball Umpires

Place made

Perth
Western Australia
Australia

Year

2022

Statement of significance

Baseball umpire Maurie Reynolds had the respect of all on the diamond and was the greatest mentor to umpires in Western Australia. Our great game in WA is richer for his contributions.

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Rare or representative

Well provenanced