ST. LOUIS – As the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs battle it out this weekend at Busch Stadium, it’s a different kind of star making a name for himself. A kid umpire.
Bradley Vinson, a 13-year-old from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, dreams of becoming a Major League Baseball umpire one day. This weekend, he is attending each of the Cardinals’ three home games against the Chicago Cubs, marking his first visit to Busch Stadium in full umpire gear. A helmet, an MLB-style uniform, gadgets and more.
Bradley and his father, John, made a trip after he gained attention earlier this year at Cardinals spring training in Jupiter, Florida, where he showed up in umpire attire and made his own calls from behind the protective netting.
So how did this all start?
“I was going to a lot of game in Jupiter,” said Bradley in a one-on-one interview with FOX 2 before Saturday’s game. “One day, on a Thursday, my dad picked me up from school and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to go to a game in Jupiter, and the only way we can go is if you wear your umpire gear.’ And [initially] I was like, ‘This is going to be embarrassing.’ Then, I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll do it.'”
“The more I do it, the more people I meet, and the more connections I make with people. It’s really exciting and really fun.”
Most kids dream of playing baseball in the big leagues. And while Bradley has played plenty of baseball over the years, his sights are set on making it to the majors as an umpire. His ambitions go even further.
“My dream is to umpire a World Series and call a perfect game with perfect calls for balls and strikes,” said Bradley.
Bradley’s enthusiasm for umpiring shows in the way he studies umpires, practices calls and learns some of the games most complicated rules. His dedication has paid off with an opportunity to start umpiring Little League games back home in Florida.
“I’ll work my way up from T-ball, then work up to travel ball, then go to umpire school. Then hopefully the minor leagues and onto the majors,” said Bradley.
What drives Bradley to do this? Quite a lot.
“My dad is my biggest inspiration. He tells me to work hard. If you fall down, always get up. And get up with joy, get up with pride and get up with hope.”
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Bradley Vinson meets with MLB umpires during spring training. (Photos courtesy: John Vinson) -
Bradley Vinson meets with MLB umpires during spring training. (Photos courtesy: John Vinson) -
Bradley Vinson umpires during a Cardinals spring training game. (Photos courtesy: John Vinson) -
Bradley Vinson meets Cardinals manager Oli Marmol during spring training. (Photos courtesy: John Vinson) -
Bradley Vinson poses with a Cardinals prospect during spring training. (Photos courtesy: John Vinson)
“I’ve got to meet a lot of nice people. Meeting umpires, I would say hi, and tell them you did a great game today. Meeting players, I don’t often get to meet players, but it’s nice to see them on a side and get a first bump.”
“Definitely, I love baseball. I can’t get enough of baseball. Personally, I’ve saved up money just to go to all three of these games. It’s been a great weekend.”
And while visiting St. Louis, Vinson and his father visited the Gateway Arch, the Missouri History Museum and the Anheuser-Busch brewery.