On Friday, Feb. 5, two Major League Baseball umpires will speak at Schneider Hall as part of the Keystone Breakfast Speaker Series, sponsored by Keystone Community Bank.
Tim Welke, crew chief and MLB umpire and his brother Bill Welke, who is also a MLB umpire, will discuss “The Business of Blue (Baseball Umpiring)” in the Dean’s Conference Room of Schneider Hall.
Bill Welke joined the MLB staff in 1999 and worked the Division Series in 2003, 2006 and the 2003 All-Star Game. He attended the Jim Evans Umpire Academy in Castle Rock, Colo., and has previously umpired in the Florida State, Midwest, Appalachian, Eastern, Southern and International leagues. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University in 1990.
Tim Welke became a member of the MLB staff in 1984 and worked the All-Star Game in 1990 and 2005; League Championship Series in 1991, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006; the Division Series in 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2008; and the World Series in 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2008. He was the crew chief for the 2006 National League Championship Series, the American League Division Series and World Series in 2008. In his career he has umpired in the Eastern, Florida State, Gulf Coast, Florida Institutional and Dominican Winter Leagues as well as the American Association.
The talk is free, open to the public, and will begin with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by the talk at 8 a.m.
Reservations are required and can be made by calling 269-387-5050. Parking will be available in the Fetzer Center parking lot.
