While most of his peers are sipping highballs on super yachts, George McCaskey is calling balls and strikes.
Bears president moonlights as a youth sports official. He served as a baseball umpire last month — on the third day of the NFL draft.
ESPN.com's Courtney Cronin The story is there. It really is one. An NFL team manager does the inherently thankless job of explaining and applying the rules to youth sporting events.
« The number one reason I'm an officer is that I'm not second-guessed in my regular job, » McCaskey said with a smile.
He has been involved in youth sports for over 50 years. Along the way, McCaskey worked on games involving his son Conor.
At one point, Conor was hit out of bounds during a football game and George didn't throw a flag.
« His mother gave me hell for not calling that night, » says George McCaskey.
George also served as an umpire while Conor played baseball. Connor didn't like that.
« He said, 'I don't get calls when I'm a catcher, I don't get calls when I'm a batter,' » McCaskey said. « He didn't really enjoy it. »
Currently, McCaskey is thinking about volunteering to host a women's flag football tournament this fall.
It is shocking that this has been covered up. The NFL needs to feature McCaskey as a way to humanize those who normally inhabit more rarified air than others.
