Perry Costello says umpiring baseball games is like any other job — it’s nice to get noticed. So when Costello received a call from the International Baseball Federation, or IBAF, in November 2007 telling him he was selected as one of only two American umpires to work at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, it was only natural that the DeWitt resident felt a chill go up his spine. “I’ve worked a lot of big events,” said Costello, who has lived in the Lansing area his entire life. “But after (IBAF director of umpires Dick Runchey) talked to me and offered it to me, it made my neck hairs stand up and I said, ‘OK, that’s pretty cool.’”
Being behind the plate for big-time baseball games is nothing new for the 48-year-old. He spent nine years as a minor league umpire and has worked collegiate games for the past 16 years — including three appearances in the College World Series.
The other American umpire joining Costello on the 18-man crew is Joe Burleson of Las Vegas. Costello and Burleson have known each other since 1983, when they began to work their way through the professional ranks together. Burleson said Costello is a good, hardworking umpire who has great leadership skills and experience — the exact reasons Runchey selected him.
“I’ve known (Costello) a long time … his background and credentials and what he has done in the minor leagues, college and internationally, speak for themselves,” Runchey said. “I thought he was one of the ones who had really earned an opportunity to umpire in the Olympics.”
Earning the opportunity to umpire at a level as high as the Olympics is important for all umpires, and Costello calls it “a dream come true.” Runchey, a former umpire, said the chance to work in the Olympics is similar to the opportunity to participate in them.
“This is definitely just like being an Olympian and being able to represent your country,” Runchey said. “One of the biggest events in sports is the Olympics, so being selected as a game official and representing your country all over the world — not a lot of people get the opportunity to do so.”
This year could potentially be the last time baseball — which has been a medal sport since 1992 — is played in the Olympics. Although the International Olympic Committee voted in 2005 to eliminate baseball and softball from the 2012 Olympics in London, Costello and Runchey both said they expect baseball to be back in the 2016 games.
Because of that, Costello said the possibility of umpiring some of the last baseball games in Olympic history hasn’t even crossed his mind.
Costello is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Aug. 11, which is three days after the opening ceremony. Although he knows he will be in Beijing, he said it’s still undecided if his family will go along.
“We’re still trying to decide,” Costello said.
Regardless of whether the rest of Costello’s family joins him, the one thing for certain is that once baseball games start Aug. 13, there’s going to be high-level play on the diamond.
Despite his admiration for the talent level of players on the field, Costello said he is going to be all business in Beijing.
“There won’t be any fan in me,” Costello said. “We’re talking high-level baseball and I’ve done some umping on the international level before and they expect us to do a job — and not just a decent job — they want an almost near-perfect job at that level.”
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