Undeterred

SHORELINE

In Jeremy Gregory’s world, obstacles are only temporary, never a deterrent to pursuing something he wants to do.

Doctors didn’t think Jeremy, who was born with spina bifida, would ever be able to walk. He did at age two. He even learned to play sandlot baseball as a child. He would throw down one his crutches, bat with one arm and then pick up his other crutch to run to first base. When he got older, he took up karate and after seven years earned a black belt and competed nationally despite being confined to wheelchair. He also taught the sport.

But earlier this year, Jeremy wanted a different challege.

Gregory, 27, has a friend in California with spina bifida he talks to regulary that had umpired T-ball for more than five years. When Jeremy saw a sign advertising for volunteer umpires for Richmond Little League in Shoreline he decided to give it a try.

“He kind of put the idea in my head,” Gregory said. “It was like you can do that. I saw the sign and said here’s my opportunity.”

Baseball has always been a passion for Jeremy, a huge Mariners fan whose favorite player is Ichiro.

Gregory’s grandmother, Millie who raised Jeremy used to work as paralegal for Shoreline lawyer Mike Jacobs and saw his name on the Richmond Little League Web site. Jeremy e-mailed him and Jacobs in turn forwarded the message to Charlie Clark, the league’s umpire-in-chief.

Clark admitted he was taken aback when he found out Gregory was in a wheelchair.

“I really had no idea what or how to respond and figured that I would have to meet with him personally before committing,” Clark said in an e-mail. “I’m glad I did.”

Clark said Gregory is believed to be the first person confined to a wheelchair who has umpired for Richmond Little League.

“The challenges were great and I had no idea on how to train him because for obvious reasons the mechanics are not the same,” Clark said. “By mechanics, I’m referring to what each umpire must do on the field in order to be in the best position to make any call.”

Clark recalled a news story about another umpire who was also confined to wheelchair and made some inquiries. He reached the umpire-in-chief for District 6 in the Vancouver area, Bill Tester, and talked to him at length. Tester offered to train Clark and Gregory on the mechanics of working with an umpire in a wheelchair. Several District 6 umpires came up to Shoreline in March and held a clinic for Gregory and Clark. Clark then developed a brief mechanics manual that Tester edited and critiqued so other umpires would know how to work with Gregory. The league umpires made the adjustments that were needed and it worked out quite well, Clark said. Gregory read several books and manuals given to him by Clark and went through the required twice-a-week clinic required of all umpires.

Gregory umpired 26 games last season, including several District 8 playoff games in Woodinville.

Millie transports Jeremy to every game and stays to watch.

“It’s great just watching the kids,” she said. “They’re very, very respectful kids. They take it seriously. They respect the umpires.”

People soon grew to respect Jeremy’s abilities as an umpire.

“In the beginning they weren’t sure because they never had seen it before,” Millie said. “They’re very complimentary.”

After one or two innings it would become apparent that Gregory was just another umpire making calls.

“I don’t think there was anything out of the ordinary,” said Jacobs, who manages the Knights a majors team in the Richmond Little League. “I don’t think anybody considered him anything other than a umpire. He did a fine job. I think it was very positive, nothing out of the ordinary. That’s what Little League is all about kids of all abilities particpating.”

Gregory only umpires in the field because of his restricted mobility. He stands a few feet behind first base in foul territory to call plays at first base. When a runner reaches second, he wheels his manual chair behind second base.

“I’ve been hit once, my chair has,” he said. “It’s a blast, (it’s) a lot of fun doing it.”

Richmond Little League has a regular all-volunteer crew of 18 umpires who do all levels of baseball, but its ranks have dwindled in recent years, Clark said. Sometimes parents are enlisted from the stands to help cover games.

Spina bifida is a birth defect that results in the incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord, and ofteh their protective coveringsaccording to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Gregory has endured 33 surgeries in his life, including a major surgery in 1995 that put rods in his spine and to his wheelchair confinement. That surgery put him a body cast and required 24-hour care. Millie had to sell her home and quit her job as a paralegal for Jacobs to provide the care, which involved turning Jeremy over every two hours.

They live in a house across from Shoreline Center with their two dachshands, Coco and Daphne.

Gregory works full-time for the Internal Revenue Service doing clerical and research work at the Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle.

He hopes to continue to move up the umpiring ranks and maybe someday do state or regional games.

“I look forward to seeing Jeremy out there again this year,” Clark said. “It’s been my pleasure to have met the young man and to have had the opportunity to work some games with him. He is an incredible person.”