After 31 years of service as an MLB umpire, Gary Cederstrom retired after working Game 7 of the 2019 World Series. But retirement was short lived as Cede worked his first game since the Fall Classic: as a high school football referee in North Dakota.
The North Dakota High School Activities Association, with fewer coronavirus cases to manage than many other states across the country, proceeded with its fall sports season, kicking off its football campaign Friday night across the state, and at TGU Towner High School, that's where Cederstrom found himself albeit not in his umpiring uniform, but in black and white stripes and a white hat.
The NDHSAA
welcomed Minot, ND's Cederstrom and his crew to Friday Night Lights, noting that prior to TGU's Friday night victory over Trenton HS, Cederstrom's last athletic contest officiated was Game 7 of the 2019 World Series.
Cederstrom isn't the only umpire to stay engaged with officiating after retiring from baseball.
Jake O'Donnell served as an NBA referee from 1967-1995, while moonlighting during basketball's offseason as an American League umpire from 1968-1971...former Minor League umpire Bill Spooner joined the NBA referee staff after retiring from baseball...after retiring from umpiring, Bill Roemer became a state representative in Ohio, introducing House Bill 208 to bring the penalty for assaulting a sports official in line with that of teachers, school administrators, and bus drivers.
And, of course, Bob Davidson returned to the high school field on April 1, 2019.
Related Post:
Bob Davidson to Return to Baseball for Third Time (4/1/19).
