Umpire from Regina calls balls and strikes in historic postseason MLB game
As the Atlanta Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 in game one of their National League wild card series, Regina's Stu Scheurwater was calling balls and strikes behind the plate.
He ended up calling 37 strikeouts — an MLB postseason record — before the game ended with a walkoff single for the Braves after a marathon 13 innings.
Scheurwater is the MLB's lone active Canadian umpire. After working full-time in the big leagues for three seasons he earned his first trip to the postseason as an ump in 2020.
Scott Mills, Baseball Saskatchewan's umpire supervisor, said earning a postseason spot after just three seasons is a feather in Scheurwater's cap and a reflection of how hard he's worked to get to where he is.
"It's just like any other sport that officials are involved in, you gotta earn your way there," Mills said.
"Whether that is showing your performance on the field … showing growth and improvement year after year after year … he's earned his right to be there."
On top of earning a postseason spot, Scheurwater was in a high pressure spot behind home plate in the first game of the wild card matchup, another accomplishment Mills said Scheurwater should be proud of.
Mills said Scheurwater transitioned from playing ball to attending umpire school in Regina in 2006 and started working in the minor leagues in 2007.
He said Scheurwater then worked his way into umpiring Baseball Canada national championships.
Scheurwater would end up working about 12 years in Saskatchewan. Mills said he spent a majority of that time in Regina.
Mills said Scheurwater was always generous with his time for umps in Saskatchewan, and writes personalized emails and sends signed game balls to winners of the organization's umpire of the week award.
Mills said Scheurwater was an invaluable asset for Baseball Saskatchewan.
"He always wants to give back to our program, even here in Saskatchewan, where he'll come back, and he'll help instruct umpire clinics," Mills said.
"We had an umpire clinic with him just this past spring here in Saskatchewan and he's always generous with his time … overall, he's just a very genuine person."
