In association with the Hamilton District Baseball Association (HDBA), the HBUA is proud to announce the creation of three supplemental umpire training dates over the off-season.

The date, time, and location of the programs are as follows:
Saturday March 16: 1pm-3pm, Calvin Christian School
Saturday March 30: 4pm-6pm, Calvin Christian School
Tuesday April 2: 6:30pm-8:30pm, St Eugene Catholic School

These clinics are FREE to all HDBA/HBUA umpires. These sessions are not intended as a replacement for attending a Baseball Ontario Umpire Clinic, but rather basic training to help build confidence in our newer umpires and shake off the rust for veterans.

Participants MUST register in advance for these programs – click here to do so. Walk-up registrations will NOT be permitted.

In order to reach out to as many umpires as possible we ask that you register for only one of these sessions.

Lastly, newly hired Minor League umpire Matt Blackborow, product of the HDBA/HBUA system, will be in attendance at all three sessions. Eastern League (AA) umpire Chris Marco will also be attending the April 2 session as an instructor.

We want to extend a very sincere congratulations to our own Matt Blackborow, who earlier this year attended the Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy. He competed with 103 other students and was invited to the Umpire Development Evaluation Course, after which he was offered a job as a Minor League Baseball umpire.

Blackborow has since returned home and will await news of his first assignment. Most likely, Matt’s season will either begin in early-April with a trip to Extended Spring Training in Florida, or mid-June, in Florida’s Gulf Coast League.

Matt joins fellow HBUA alumni Chris Marco (AA Eastern League) and Steven Jaschinski (High-A Carolina League) as former HBUA umpires currently working in professional baseball.

On behalf of the entire HBUA, congratulations Matt!

Matt Blackborow (L) with MLB umpire Dan Iassogna at the MiLB Umpire Training Academy Graduation Banquet

At the recent HBUA Annual General Meeting, Matt Blackborow and Glenn Ostrosser were honoured as the recipient of the HBUA’s Dennis Aldridge Junior and Senior Umpire of the Year awards. Additionally, longtime HBUA umpire and former executive member Dave McRae was selected as the 10th inductee onto the HBUA’s Wall of Fame.

HBUA President Bill Tunney with Dennis Aldridge Junior Umpire of the Year Matt Blackborow

HBUA President Bill Tunney with Dennis Aldridge Senior Umpire of the Year Glenn Ostrosser

About the Dennis Aldridge Umpire of the Year awards: The Dennis Aldridge Umpire of the Year Award is presented to one junior and one senior umpire who go above and beyond the call of duty on the diamond, as well as working behind the scenes and promoting the values and beliefs of the HBUA. The award is named in honour of one of our brother umpires who passed away in 2006, Dennis Aldridge. Initially a separate award from the Umpire of the Year awards, the decision was made to merge the awards after its last individual award in 2009 because year after year, Dennis exemplified the true spirit of the HBUA. Each season, the HBUA will select one eligible junior and one senior umpire of the year based on accomplishments and ability demonstrated throughout the season. These umpires are carefully chosen and presented with their award at the Annual General Meeting at each year’s completion.

To see a the members of the HBUA Wall of Fame, please click here.