http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/6119914

Merrill was one of the better umpires to watch during a game.
I belong to an organization called NASO (National Association of Sports Officials). Each year they give out a "gold whistle" award. Last year or the year before it was given to Merrill. What a touching story about not only his life in the game, but also the work he's done outside of baseball.

I'm sure Ump25 can elaborate more with some personal stories, but I'm sure Merrill will be missed amongst the baseball community.

Josh

I am glad you posted this, josh. I did not have the heart to do so. I am still in shock over the death of my friend.

He was someone whom I loved, someone whom I admired, someone whom I respected. He made me laugh. He made me feel good about myself, made me feel worthy of my job.

I am truly saddened by the loss of my friend, and baseball has lost not only a fan but also one of its most beloved guardians.

Durwood, my prayers go out to Carolyn and the kids, as well as the rest of your family. I weep with them, for you leave a void that cannot be filled.

I agree...Merrill was one of the game's truly great umpires. While not knowing him on a personal level, I still used him as an example of how I should be as an umpire.

[quote]Originally posted by Ump25:
I am still in shock over the death of my friend.
He was someone whom I loved, someone whom I admired, someone whom I respected. He made me laugh. He made me feel good about myself, made me feel worthy of my job.
I am truly saddened by the loss of my friend, and baseball has lost not only a fan but also one of its most beloved guardians.
Durwood, my prayers go out to Carolyn and the kids, as well as the rest of your family. I weep with them, for you leave a void that cannot be filled.[/QB]

---

Thanks for posting such a sincere, heartfelt tribute ump....my condolences go out not only to Durwood's family at their time of grief but to you as well for the loss of your friend -- it certainly sounds like Durwood embodied the qualities that all of us value in a true friend....May he rest in peace.

[ January 12, 2003: Message edited by: gamecock ]

Ump, gamecock articulated my sadness and condolences better than I could have. So sorry for your loss, friend.

Dur, you were such a beloved guy around town. Your hometown of Hooks loved you, as do your fellow umpires. You for so many years gave money and time to the kids who had nothing. You gave up your Christmas Eve more than once to go and get that one gift for the child who had nothing. Your efforts of love no doubt are but one reason you are now at home, with the Supreme Umpire in the Sky.

As we all gather this week to say good-bye, Dur, we do so with a broken heart, but with a smile, my friend...

Arrangements for Durwood are as follows:

Visitation - From 6:00 - 9:00pm on Monday, January 13th at:

Bates/Rolf Funeral Home
502 S. McCoy Blvd.
New Boston TX 75570

Funeral will be held on Tuesday, January 14th at 2:30pm central time at:

First Baptist Church
3015 Moore's Lane
Texarkana TX 75503
(903) 831-6000

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the:

"Durwood Merrill Scholarship Fund for New Boston High School."

Please send all donations to:

Durwood Merrill Scholarship Fund
122 Shumaker
New Boston TX 75570


***For those of you who will need accommodations, you may call the Holiday Inn at (870) 774-3521

[Edited because my question was answered above. ]

[ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: MIB ]

Reporting from Texas

It was a send-off of which Durwood would have been embarrassed, since we fawned about him quite a bit. We laughed and cried, but all the time we smiled with joy. Our only regret was that the funeral which we attended should not have occurred for many years to come.

A fitting tribute to a man with a heart as big as the field upon which he worked...

Jerome Holtzman

01/12/2003 5:08 pm ET

Holtzman: Goodbye to a good man

The popular perception of Major League umpires is that they are flinty-hearted souls, humorless and without a kind bone in their body. Not true, of course. Durwood Merrill, an American League umpire for 23 years who died Saturday at the age of 64, was among the most caring people I have ever met.

This is Mr. Merrill speaking during a 1995 interview:

"I started my charity in 1979 on Christmas Day. I live in Hooks, Texas. Lived here for 30 years. It's a depressed community. Lot of unemployed. Population about 4,200. The years haven't been good to Hooks. Many of the town's homes are crumbling or have been abandoned. Some people here make good money and then there are some completely off the charts. What we are trying to do is break the chain of poverty.

"I heard about a single mother with three children and no food in the house. I went to see her. When I got home I cried. It just knocked me backwards. I called the local variety store owner and took a Christmas tree right out of the store, without asking. I unplugged the lights, and put it in the back of my pickup truck.

"Then I called the man and woman who owned the local supermarket and had them open up for me. I grabbed two shopping carts and filled them up with everything from baby food to milk, eggs, bread, cake and candy -- the whole nine yards. By five o'clock that afternoon I had the tree up. There were presents under the tree for the children and ample food for a Christmas dinner. And more.

"That got me hooked and I said, 'I'm going to start looking around for people I can help.'

"I went to the school teachers, started with the elementary teachers. They know the kids better than anybody. They know who needs help. I would say, 'Look, if you see someone who needs shoes, a pair of blue jeans, a shirt or a coat, let me know.' "

Merrill became Santa Claus to a small forgotten flyspeck town in northeast Texas in what is known as the Four States area, a 20-minute drive from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The project grew from one family to three the next year. Five to 10 families were added for several years.

"We are now helping about 80 families," Merrill said. "About 200 kids. Not just at Christmas but all year round. At Christmas we bring a dinner. That keeps me jumping. It's a lot of hard work but it's gratifying."The word got around.

Merrill's charity was given a formal name: Hooks Christian Services.

"We have Methodists, Baptists, Judiasm, Assembly of God, Church of Christ, Catholics, you name it," he said. "We say we're Christians because we have the Christian spirit. We don't ask anybody their religion. If anybody needs help or wants to help, they come on board.

"With donations and everything we raise between $12,000 and $15,000 a year. People help me and I put some of my own money in it. All of my speech money. I usually get $1,000 and expenses. Once I got $3,500. I've been speaking for 15 years. We have received gifts from a lot of states, from people I will never meet. Big gifts. One couple brought 50 bicycles. All I can do is send a thank you letter.

"The town looks to us. I'm not taking all the credit. I don't want to be bragging. We're the focal point. They wouldn't do as well without us. The mayor, the police chief, the school officials send people to us because they know we can help."

The son of a Baptist minister, Merrill was born in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. His wife, Carolyn, and their two grown children, Mickey and Maria, both school teachers, help with the deliveries.

"It takes us about three days to get everything out," he said. "Other people come in and help."

"I've been in professional sports a long time. Sometimes we lose our vision, forget our roots. We forget where the real world is. I try not to do that."

A 6-foot, 200-pounder, Merrill had a thick neck and a barrel chest and seemed intimidating behind the plate. But he always had a good sense of humor. Once at Fenway Park, a little old lady leaned over the rail and yelled, "If you were my husband, I'd feed you poison."

Merrill shouted back, "Lady, if I were married to you, I'd take it."

Merrill was never shy. Seattle manager Lou Piniella once protested when Merrill made a correct call in a dark outfield corner of the Kingdome. "Durwood, dammit, you can't see that far," Piniella barked. "Lou, I can see all the way to the Sun," Merrill replied. "And, hell, Lou, the Sun is 90 million miles away."

Rocky Roe, who retired from the American League in July of 2001, following his fifth knee surgery, and was Merrill's partner during 20 Spring Trainings in addition to eight full seasons, said that in all that time they never had an argument.

"He was my best friend," Roe said. "We went on the field laughing and came off the field laughing. The players and managers respected us because we had such a good time. It was his life. He was born to be an umpire. They say you're a rich man if you have five good friends. Durwood took up four of the five fingers."

Roe was to deliver the eulogy. "It will be a tear jerker, a barnburner, and people will laugh," Roe said. "It will be a celebration of his life."

Contributions may be sent to:

Hooks Christian Services
Hooks, Tex. 75561

[ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

What a heartwarming story that Jerome Holtzman told about a man who was obviously tremendously warm and giving!....reading it brought tears to my eyes and I never even met the man....even though the holiday season has recently passed, we can all learn quite a bit from Durwood's generosity related to his charity -- especially the "selfish" gratification he received from helping others in their time of need.

Thanks again, ump, for sharing a small piece of Durwood's story with us....It is now very clear why he was such a valued friend to you, Rocky Roe, and countless others, particularly all those families who richly benfitted from his warmth in starting Hooks Christian Services (I appreciate you providing us with their address too -- it certainly sounds like that is a very worthwhile organization that is deserving of our suppport and contributions).

For those of you who would love to read a great book that will make you laugh, smile, cry, and simply thrill you, I suggest going to amazon.com through this board and ordering Durwood's only book: You're Out and You're Ugly Too!: Confessions of an Umpire with Attitude.

Dur wrote this as he was about to retire from the game, and there is a lot of great stuff in there. You won't be disappointed that you read it, trust me. Plus, a portion of the proceeds go to Dur's causes, so it's a win-win situation for everyone.