10th Annual Umps Care Charities Auction Underway

The 10th annual @UmpsCare Charities Online Auction is underway on MLB.com, and back are the popular "Lunch with an Ump" experiences, umpire gift boxes, tickets and suites, and signed memorabilia.

UMPS CARE was founded by MLB Umpires.

334 items are up for bids in this year's UMPS CARE Charities auction, whose motto is, "Helping People is an Easy Call."

On To the Goods
Below are a few highlights of this year's auction, from a UEFL point-of-view. All items, including the 326 not listed here, are worthwhile exploring.

> Lunch for Two with ESPN TV Director and Tickets to a Nationals or Orioles Game. This unique experience gives the winning bidder a chance to ask a broadcast director about television coverage. Personally, we'd use this experience to try and figure out why ESPN continues to use a faulty K-Zone graphic.

> Golf and Lunch for 2 with NBA Referees at the Raven Golf Club (Phoenix, AZ). The National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) gets into the act with an opportunity to hang out with NBA officials Bill Kennedy and Mark Ayotte in the summer of 2018, which goes to show that the officiating family transcends sports.

Recently-retired umpire Dale Scott's gift box.

> MLB Umpire Dale Scott "Memory Lane" Gift Box. A sentimental item to see as part of this auction and generously donated by Scott, this gift basket is a history lesson through Dale Scott's storied professional career with baseballs from the 2004 World Series, 2011 All-Star Game, 2014 Opening Series in Sydney, and one of Dale's on-field trademarks—his classic #5 blue base uniform shirt. True to his love of the Oregon Ducks, you'll also take home a few Duck-branded item. Let's Go Ducks!

> Signed Mother's Day and Father's Day masks. In 2017, umpires wore pink masks for Mother's Day and blue masks for Father's Day, in conjunction with MLB's breast and prostate cancer awareness missions associated with those days. The masks being auctioned off have been signed by the entire crews from those games—Gabe Morales, Roberto Ortiz, Ron Kulpa, and Adrian Johnson for Mother's Day; Fieldin Culbreth, Manny Gonzalez, CB Bucknor, and Mark Carlson for Father's Day. The signatures aren't MLB authenticated, but the mask itself is.

This baseball was signed by the entire staff.

> 2018 Umpire Staff Signed Baseball (Not MLB Authenticated). Does this ball look a little "busy" to you? Well it should...it's been signed by every 2018 MLB staff umpire. That's a lot of ink!

> Vin Scully Signed Baseball. This could be the last time to pick up a ball signed by Vin. Don't miss out!

> $150 Gift Card to Ump-Attire.com. Starting bid here is $75. What a steal!

About UMPS CARE: Founded in 2006, this nonprofit, whose executive board features retired umpire Gary Darling as President, alongside active umpires Marvin Hudson and Jim Reynolds as Vice President and Secretary, respectively, provides financial, in-kind, and emotional support for America's youth and families in need. The annual online auction is but one of many UMPS CARE events, which include ticket donations and on-field experiences, scholarships, golf tournaments, and hospital visits.

Click here to access UMPS CARE Charities' 10th Annual Online auction. The auction ends April 30.

Alternate Link: UMPS CARE Charities trailer video (UmpsCare)