Retired Judge making a different call with the TOTS

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball


Chuck Sabalos has made a career out of making decisions. Sabalos, 62, a long-time Pima County  Superior Court Judge in the State of Arizona, retired last year and turned in his gavel. He's still making decisions, but now he's an umpire, behind the plate, working games for the oldest organized baseball team in the country, the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS).

Sabalos joined the TOTS in 2010 and split his time as an infielder and a catcher for the senior baseball club, which plays three days a week at Udall Park, but continued with his duties in the courtroom, banging out case after case.

He decided to hang up his robe in 2011, retire, and become an everyday player with the TOTS.

Early last year, Sabalos sustained a foot injury which required surgery and six months of downtime. Chuck is back at Udall Park, but is unable to leg out an infield hit or turn a gapper into a stand-up double. Instead, he's putting on the umpire gear and settling in behind the plate, calling balls and strikes.

Sabalos (above photo) hopes to be off of the TOTS' disabled list soon. But for now, he's enjoying his role as an umpire. "It's a lot of fun," Sabalos said. "I call 'em as I see 'em."

It hasn't been easy shaking off the injury.

"It was quite an ordeal, but I'm on the mend and itching to play again," said Sabalos, who turns 63 on March 5.

Sabalos, who was born in New York, NY., played some high school ball at Tucson Rincon High School and caught, behind the plate, for former major-leaguer Pat Darcy.

"I think I like umpiring," said Sabalos, after a recently-completed game. "I kind of miss the courtroom. That's serious business, but umpiring is fun, even though some of my teammates might not like some of my calls."

One thing is for sure, whatever call Sabalos makes is final. If he calls you out on strikes, you head for the dugout. There's no jury in baseball.