Wollitz: Hirschbeck trades balls for bait

John Hirschbeck has stared down the barrel at 100 mph fireballs, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Hall of Fame sluggers and ruled over five World Series. Through all the thrills and challenges, he always had his eye on the day when he could fish more often.

All who have ever thrown a baseball or swung a bat can imagine no better catbird seat than that which the now-retired Major League Baseball umpire occupied in his 33 seasons in blue. But Hirschbeck’s bucket list still had a square for one more check-off.

The 2017 Muransky Companies Bass Classic is serving up the opportunity for Hirschbeck to fulfill his desire to fish a bass tournament.

“I watch the tournaments on TV, including the ones they did here in Youngstown [Major League Fishing Select Series in 2015 for the Outdoor Channel], and I always wanted to try it,” Hirschbeck said. “The competitive aspect really is appealing.”

He started fishing as a kid growing up in Connecticut. “I did a lot of trout fishing and always loved Opening Day, even thought it might be freezing.”

Now, after 33 years of big-league baseball Opening Days, Hirschbeck is spooling his reels and sharpening his hooks for the Muransky Companies Bass Classic on Evans and Pine Lakes.

As an umpire, Hirschbeck endured face-to-face shouting with some of the most fiery managers in baseball, stares and glares from players disagreeing with his calls, and merciless heckling from fans from coast to coast. What from those experiences does he bring to his fishing?

“Patience. The ability to not get angry when I’d really like to!”

Since retirement, Hirschbeck is finding more time to fish, golf and hunt – here around Youngstown and in Florida. He has a home on the shore of a lake, but expects to learn plenty from his pro teammate, Mike McCoy of Mentor-on-the-Lake.

“Fishing is a great opportunity to relax, enjoy and learn. I understand why we call it fishing and not catching ... there’s always something to learn. Like in hunting, it’s not necessarily what you kill, but what you learn. I look forward to picking my pro’s brain.”

The Muransky Companies Bass Classic, in its 18th year, raises money for United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. Some 60 boats with pro and am anglers will compete on host Aqua Ohio’s Evans and Pine lakes under a scoring system based on TV’s “Major League Fishing.” All fish will be weighed and released immediately.

To do catch-weigh-release scoring fairly, each of the 60 pro-am boats will have a volunteer judge aboard. Their role is much like the job of baseball’s umpires: making sure all of the scoring is accurate and the rules are followed.

Opportunities remain for those who would like to volunteer to “umpire” the Bass Classic aboard one of the sleek bass boats where plenty of bass catching is sure to be witnessed. Contact Roxann Sebest at the United Way office, 330-746-8494.

On June 3 at the Bass Classic, Hirschbeck will be a player rather than an umpire. He’ll be gunning for the win while someone else is calling balls and strikes. So what’s his advice to his pro teammate?

“I’ll tell him what I always told my crew. My line is ‘relax and enjoy the moment.’ Even in the World Series. People often ask, ‘Was it fun?’ It always was. Before every game, whether World Series or regular season, I always would say, ‘Guys, remember this is supposed to be fun.’”

So to John Hirschbeck and the 59 other people who will fish June 3: Relax and have fun knowing you are helping those who are served by the agencies funded by the United Way.

jack.wollitz@innismaggiore.com