Mr. Softball will continue to assist with sport he loves



By Sean T. McMann

Poughkeepsie Journal



Of all the decisions Bill Doxsey has made in four decades as a softball umpire - called third strikes, bang-bang plays at first base - this was his toughest one.

"I don't want to say it was difficult," the Town of Poughkeepsie resident said, "but I've been saying it for 10 years, and I'm still doing it."

A veteran of 41 seasons behind the plate and on the bases, Doxsey has recently decided to retire - at least somewhat - from the vocation to which he's dedicated his life.

"Every year, I say I'm going to cut back," he said, "and this year, I'm doing it."

Weary knees might have slowed Doxsey - "It's just that physically, it's becoming a bit difficult," he said - but nothing can keep the man from the game he loves.

Inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Doxsey has become the driving force behind local softball for decades, friend Stan Waryas said.

"He's 'Mr. Softball' around here," said Waryas, who has been a softball umpire for six years following 20 years as a Little League official. "He really, really enjoys the game. He's committed to seeing that others get the opportunity to play it, especially youth ball."

One look at Doxsey's impressive resume provides one with a glimpse at the body of work that's made the man a pillar of the local softball community.

Enshrined into the Dutchess County Fast Pitch Hall of Fame in 1982, Doxsey was inducted into the Sports Museum of Dutchess County Hall of Fame five years later. In 1991, he entered the New York State Softball Hall of Fame.

All those accolades - and many more - came after years of service and dedication on local diamonds, calling games from April to October.

"As long as they play, we're out there," Waryas said. "He's still going to be active, just not to the extent he has been in the past. He works almost every night, and he's not going to do that any more."

Despite the lower profile on the field, Doxsey will remain a stalwart on the administrative side of the game.

Founded local association

One of the founders of the Poughkeepsie Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Umpires Association, Doxsey will continue as the ASA's associate commissioner for the southeastern region of New York, among his other duties.

"He's retiring, and then he's not," Waryas said. "He's still going to remain as the commissioner. He'll still be around."

An IBM retiree, Doxsey said leaving the game completely is something he can never do.

"I'm involved in softball completely," he said. "My whole life is based around softball. I love it."

Having played in several baseball leagues in his younger days, Doxsey later fell in love with softball, forming the Poughkeepsie umpires association with a handful of like-minded officials.

As softball grew around the area, particularly with the influx of the soft-pitch game, Doxsey likewise saw his passion and involvement swell.

"It's the old ballplayer who wants to stay involved in the game," he said, "and this is one way of doing it."

Making just $3 a game when he began as an umpire, Doxsey said it wasn't just a paycheck for him.

"It was more the love of the game," he said. "You weren't doing it for the money. You just meet so many people."

With those relationships and experience, his reputation grew: When Bill Doxsey showed up to your diamond, you knew you were getting a first-rate official who'd call a flawless game.

"The respect he's shown is unbelievable," Waryas said. "They know better than to argue with him."

Having called games for more than 25 years now, Waryas said he's still a student of Doxsey.

"I never stop learning things from Bill," he said. "He's an inspiration to the rest of the umpires. He's the expert on the rule book."

Doxsey will continue to impart those lessons to fellow umpires, but not necessarily on the field. He and Waryas, for example, held an instructional meeting for less-experienced umpires Tuesday night.

But just try keeping Bill Doxsey away from the ballpark, even if it's just in the stands.

"It's basically my life," he said. "Luckily, I have a wife that goes along with it."