RON MALY HAS BEEN WATCHING THE PARADE GO BY FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS ONE OF HIS WEBSITES.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Jay Cookman of West Des Moines is a good friend of mine. He read the column I wrote yesterday about major league umpire Tim McClelland, also of West Des Moines, who worked part of a game in Arizona while standing behind the pitcher on the mound. Here's what Cookman wrote to me in an e-mail: "Ron, I saw the video the other day during the Red Sox-Yankee game on ESPN. It was neat to see Tim calling the balls and strikes behind the pitcher. Even though I am a lot older than you, I, too, remember having the late Elmer Starr, Mason City High School's legendary baseball coach, calling balls and strikes behind the pitcher in the East Park Summer League. Great memories of growing up playing baseball, no parents, rode our bikes to the game, with a 25-cent large Nesbitt orange on the way home. Thanks for the memories. Jay."

Tim McClelland