Minot Man Doesn’t Let Deadly Disease Strike Him Out

One Minot man isn t letting a deadly disease strike him out Reporter Ashley McMillan has more on one umpire who enjoys every game as if it were his last Bobby Larson has been cleaning plates across North Dakota for 25 years He played fast pitch for 16 years before that He wasn t sure umpires were fair and was determined to change things Bobby Larson Umpire One day I got tired of all the close calls that I thought were made on my team and umpires were always out of position and I thought I m going to try umpiring and at first I was terrible and I went to school in Oklahoma and I learned the right way and I really tired hard He even practices at home I used to stand in front of the mirror and make out calls and I just really perfected it I still make mistakes but I still will give each team 100 percent But becoming a better umpire wasn t the only thing Bobby would have to overcome This should have been his 26th year as an umpire but something slowed him down by the time they actually found it it had spread through the whole body My scull was covered I was a mess I dropped 118lbs Bobby had advanced prostate cancer It was tough I guess the second day in the hospital I just asked if I could see my son graduate and Zack graduated this spring He didn t let cancer stop him from doing what he loved I took a year off completely and had to recover and got the ok this spring and went back to spring training inTuscan for my six straight year Not being able to be the blue at games wasn t easy that was hard it just killed me They would take me to the ball games and it was just really hard Couldn t be out there I have close friends in the Muellers and the Cal used to pick me up and take me out to the ball games That was neat He traveled from Minot this weekend for his 15th year at the Mcquades Tournament He got to see his son Zack graduate And for now Bobby Larson is cancer free I know it will come back someday but I m thinking positive Being on the diamond is something he loves and quitting isn t an option Theres still a desire to umpire I ve always said I m going to quit when my legs give out and they re still going strong Good Lord willing I will keep going In Bismarck Ashley McMillan KX News