KITCHEN NAMED TOP UMPIRE IN MISSOURI

Larry Kitchen is sure glad he finally opened a piece of mail that he very nearly threw away.

If not, the local umpire would never have discovered that he had been named Missouri Baseball Official of the Year.

"I received a brochure in the mail a few weeks ago, but I didn't think anything about it because I belong to about every association in the world," explained Kitchen with a laugh. "I let it lay on my table. Then about a week later I open it up and figured I'd just throw it away.

"But I got to reading it and it was from the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association out of Kansas City informing me that I had been named (Missouri Baseball Official of the Year)."

Kitchen, who has spent virtually his entire life in Cape Girardeau and is in his 30th year as an umpire, doesn't claim to be the state's top umpire or even the best umpire in the area, although most coaches will tell you that he's certainly near the top of the list.

He figures the award has something to do with all the years he's put in. Either way, he looks at is as quite an honor.

"This doesn't mean that I'm perfect or that I'm the best umpire. I'm not about to say I'm the best umpire in the state or even the area, but it's a nice award," said Kitchen, who added with a chuckle, "To be honest, my best days are probably behind me. I'm going to be 50 and I'm a grandfather."

Kitchen, who works at Southeast Missouri State University in mail services and receiving, certainly has baseball in his blood.

A late uncle, Noah Kitchen, managed the Capahas for a number of years. Two nephews, Terry and Paul, are former baseball coaches at Cape Girardeau Central High School, where Terry still serves as athletic director. A cousin, Jess Bolen, has managed the Capahas for the past 30-plus years.

"We're a baseball family," said Kitchen. "Besides the umpiring, I've coached little leagues all the way up through American Legion. I've done and seen it all."

Kitchen graduated from Central High, where he played baseball and football, and he later played baseball for the Cape American Legion and the Capahas.

"I played for some of the best coaches anywhere, Leon Brinkopf at Cape Central, Doc Yallaly with the Legion and Jess Bolen with the Capahas," he said.

Kitchen has umpired four state high school championships and a number of American Legion championships in addition to umpiring Southeast Missouri State University baseball in the 1980s.

"I've been doing it a long time," he said. "It's something you don't do for recognition or money. You do it for the love of the game."

He hopes to keep umpiring for a while, mainly because he still loves it so much.

"I've had a lot of good things happen to me through it," he said. "I've met a lot of people and seen a lot of good ballplayers and a lot of good coaches."

Added Kitchen with a laugh, "I guess I'm glad I opened the letter. Otherwise I wouldn't even have known about this."