HIBBING—When Babe Glumack was growing up, his dream was to be a Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees.
When that didn’t pan out, Glumack did the next-best thing—he became an official.
For well over 50 years, Glumack has been patrolling the court, baseball and football fields with his emphatic calls.
The former Hibbing High School graduate will be recognized for those many years of service when he is inducted into the Hibbing Hibbing High School Hall of Fame Saturday at 3 p.m.
How does he feel about the honor?
“For me, it’s quite an honor being a Hibbing guy and growing up in Hibbing,” Glumack said. “I feel I’ve done some good things for Hibbing. I know they hadn’t done anything for some four or five years, but a couple of people were pushing for me.
“It’s a great tribute. I’m happy they were thinking of me. It’ll be a fun time. They have good people there. It should be a good atmosphere.”
As far as his athletic career goes, Glumack was a hockey and baseball player for the Bluejackets.
On the ice, Glumack, who graduated in 1968, was goalie, along with Pat Milinovich.
“My athletic career was average at best,” Glumack said. “My neck got sunburned sometimes from the red light going on, but I thought I was a decent baseball player. My whole life has been baseball.
“I was going in as an official. I went to an umpiring school in Florida. I got hired for minor league baseball. Luckily, I had the chance to work three LIttle League World Series, a legion world series, Big Ten playoffs in baseball, state tournaments, softball, baseball and basketball. A lot of tournaments. I thought I had a good run.”
Glumack’s umpiring career began while he was in high school.
“They asked me to do some umpiring in Little League,” Glumack said. “I did that. The people that helped me out were Joe MIlinovich, Bob Gernander, Nick Novak, Lolly Fryckman, Jim Lipovetz and Jerry Lipovetz.
“They were all big influences on me.”
Umpiring Little League games set the wheels in motion for Gumack to take it more seriously.
“I contacted Al Sommers, who was with Harry Wendelstedts umpiring school, and I went to Daytona Beach for six weeks,” Glumack said. “I learned a lot. There were 116 kids down there, and they picked 24 for minor league baseball.
“I was one of them. Back in the early 70s, there were no expansion teams. Luckily, I got picked.”
Glumack worked in the Northern League for two years, then when that league folded, he tried to get into the Midwest League.
“They were filled,” Glumack said. “Unless you die, the movement to go up was limited.”
Glumack got his big break from Dick Siebert at the University of Minnesota.
“He hired me in 1979, before he retired, as a Big Ten umpire,” Glumack said. “I worked non-conference games when George Thomas was the coach. John Anderson took over and I umped there until 1993.
“I worked some playoff games for the Gophers.”
In 1997, Glumack got a call to work the American Legion World Series in Fargo, then he applied to work in the Little League World Series.
“Out of the clear blue sky, I got chosen,” Glumack said. “You have to work a regional, so that’s how I got hired. I went to Indianapolis. I worked four or five games, and they critiqued you there.
“ I got chosen to work the championship game behind the plate. I got lucky because Minnesota got beat. If they win the game, I’m not on the field.”
One year later, Glumack got a call from Steve Sorenson, who told him he had been selected to work Little League World Series in 2000.
“They treated you well,” Glumack said. “The first game I worked, the kid from Texas had a no-hitter, but a kid got a hit in the sixth inning. I was behind the plate. When It got down to the end, they picked six umpires for the last couple of games.
“I got picked to work the International championship behind the plate.”
Two years later, Glumack was picked to work the Senior Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine.
“Stephen King built a field on his property there,” Glumack said. “After that, I had a little lull, then I had the Junior Little League World Series in Detroit. I had a great time there. A year after that, they called me back to be a volunteer umpire to help out.
“I went back there and had a great time. After that, I kept working at state tournaments. I did a lot of basketball, playoffs. I had good partners, especially Gary Southgate for 40 years.”
“I’ve had Legion state tournaments and this and that.”
It was that year, 2014, when Glumack received a prestigious honor.
“I was about to go up to my room and go to bed, but they said, ‘Let’s go downstairs,’” Glumack said. “They gave a speech, and I was picked as the Distinguished Umpire of the Year.
“That was a surprise to me.”
Through all of his years of officiating and the people that helped Glumack out in the early stages of his career, there was one other factor that kept him going.
“The fans and people are the ones that helped me out,” Glumack said. “When I was on the court or field, I worked hard for two hours. I went out there with pride. When I’m out of this business, which will probably be soon, that’s the part I’ll miss the most.
“I was also blessed with great partners.”
When Glumack accepts the honor, he knows he’ll be emotional.
“I’ll probably be the worst, especially with my family there,” Glumack said. “I’m an emotional person. I’ll try to do the best that I can, but I’m a softie. It will hit me. It will probably hit me hard.
“I’ll try to get through it.”
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