George Guido: Umpiring runs in Hoffman family

By: George Guido
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | 5:54 PM

If you attend a high school softball game in the Alle-Kiski Valley, chances are a Hoffman is umpiring.

There are three generations of Hoffmans umpiring after Connor, 18, got his PIAA arm patch this season.

It all started in 1961 when Joe began what’s become a family tradition.

“I started out with baseball, then I switched over when softball came along during the mid-1970s,” the 78-year-old Joe said.

The elder Hoffman credits veteran umpires Kirby DeCroo and Gary Gallagher for getting him interested in officiating.

Chris Hoffman graduated from Freeport in 1991, and by the time he was a junior at Clarion, he started working games.

“It was like a work-study program,” Chris said. “I did umpiring instead of sitting in the library.”

Joe Hoffman, who received a watch from the PIAA several years ago for 35 years of service, said: “Chris asked me about it, and I told him to go do it.”

Chris Hoffman also worked games in Seneca Falls, N.Y.,while attending chiropractic school. 

Chris got started calling games as a teenager with the South Pike Softball League in Butler County.

“We needed an umpire at a game at Winfield Elementary School,” Joe Hoffman recalled. “I told Chris to get a shirt and come on up.”

Connor Hoffman simply pointed toward his father when asked how he got interested in umpiring.

Connor is senior at Freeport and plans to join the Air Force in the fall.

All three Hoffmans are members of the Quad County umpiring chapter.

Joe and Chris have worked games together a number of times. Since only two umpires are employed for regular season high school games, it is unlikely there would be a WPIAL playoff game where the trio are staffed because this is Connor’s first year.

Playoff qualification

With teams playing catch-up this week after a rough stretch of weather, it is a good time to review WPIAL playoff qualification in baseball and softball.

The top four teams from each section make the playoffs in both sports.

If there is a tie for first place, ties will not be broken and both teams will receive a section-winning plaque, per WPIAL policy.

If a final playoff spot has a two-way tie, head-to-head competition will be used to break the tie. If schools split the season series, both qualify.

If a tie involves three or more schools, head-to-head among the tied schools is used. If one team has a superior record, that team qualifies, and the other tied teams use head-to head if a playoff spot is still available.

All softball section games must be completed by May 7, baseball by May 9. The playoffs will begin the week of May 13.

The softball pairings will be released May 9, baseball a day later.

The WPIAL baseball finals will be May 28-29 at Wild Things Park in Washington. The softball finals are set for May 29-30 at Peterswood Park in Peters Township.

The PIAA playoffs in both sports begin on June 3.