West Ashley's Lysaght wins national umpire of year award

Joe Lysaght's love for softball is more than a fling — it has lasted 46 years. He's played the game, coached it and organized a league in Savannah for handicapped players. But it's his most recent role that is winning the West Ashley man national acclaim.

Lysaght is the National Umpire in Chief for the Softball Players Association. He is a member of the organization's Hall of Fame, and a couple weeks ago he received the Executive Director's Umpire of the Year Award.

"He has just brought so much to the table with not only his professionalism but his integrity and honesty," said Executive Director Ridge Hooks. "He really has brought our umpiring group together as well as upgraded it so now we have some of the very best umpires in the country."

Lysaght, with his reputation for being an umpire who expects the best, has recruited umpires from 30 to 40 states, some of whom were umpiring for other national softball organizations, Hooks said.

Today Lysaght is in Alabama for tournament of the SPA, a Christian-based organization mostly for players ages 45 to 80. He regularly travels the country to help run tournaments, recruit new umpires and lead umpire clinics. He also selects and organizes umpires for SPA's nearly 35 national championships each year.

He began playing softball in 1962 with the United States Air Force, serving as first baseman and sometimes pitcher. Years later, he started coaching for his daughters' and son's teams.

That's when he became interested in calling ball.

"There were times I was very concerned about the fact that they weren't doing their job," he said. Some umpires weren't always in position; some didn't know the rules.

He umpired his first softball game in 1985 with the Amatuer Softball Association, and has since officiated slow and fast pitch, men's, women's, youth, seniors, industrial programs, co-ed and church games, including 27 national, state or divisional championships.

Since becoming SPA's National Umpire in Chief in 2005, he's doing less actual umpiring. While he misses the interaction with players and spectators, he doesn't have much time to think about it.

He started and now chairs SPA's National Umpire Board. He's working on the organization's rule book to make it fair and comprehendible, answering questions from umpires around the country about senior softball rules, and according to the organization's assistant executive director, inspiring other umpires.

"Joe has a personality that everybody loves," Layla Bryan said. "There's just not anybody that wouldn't do a good job for Joe."

Lysaght didn't slow down after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 1996. His doctor told him he'd probably live another three to five years.

"I didn't buy that," he said.

Being involved with seniors' softball has been inspiring, he said.

He's seen 70- and 80-year-olds, and one 92-year-old, play ball. He found he can still play ball, and still loves to, he said. "I found out it was OK to dream."