Officiating on the Big Screen - Star Trek Umpire Analysis

CloseCallSports.com introduces our newest series for 2021, Officiating on the Big Screen, where we analyze portrayals of referees and umpires in movies, TV shows, and other pop culture. In this debut episode, we travel to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode Take Me Out to the Holosuite, where Odo serves as umpire for a baseball game between the USS T'Kumbra Logicians and Deep Space Niners.

After DS9 Captain Benjamin Sisko accepts visiting Vulcan Solok's challenge to a ballgame, the teams place their faith in Chief of Security Odo, the only person Sisko trusts to be an impartial umpire.

The character Odo, played by Rene Auberjonois, is a Changeling whose reputation is as a constable with great respect for and fair enforcement of the rule of law. Odo and Sisko's relationship evolved throughout the series from a contentious one to a close association; Take Me Out to the Holosuite thus serves to further cement Sisko's trust in Odo.

The following video analysis of Odo's performance as home plate umpire delves into Odo's mannerisms, mechanics, and technique, from plate brush to positioning to situation handling and beyond, including Odo's ejection of Sisko.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Officiating on the Big Screen - Analysis of Star Trek DS9 Umpire Odo (CCS)