Norm Noble

Play ball: On Tuesday, January 6, Major League Umpire Ted Barrett will be the guest speaker at Sun Lakes Rotary’s morning meeting. Barrett made his major league debut in 1994. For the next five seasons, he served as a fill-in umpire for vacationing or injured major league umpires and was one of the 25 umpires promoted in the wake of the Major League Umpires Association’s mass-resignation strategy in July 1999. His five years of experience made him one of the most experienced of the umpires called up to fill the sudden vacancies. He was promoted to the position of Crew Chief prior to the 2013 season.

He was the home plate umpire for two perfect games: David Cone’s no-hitter on July 18, 1999; and Ervin Santana’s no-hitter on July 27, 2011. He was at third base for Philip Humber’s perfect game on April 21, 2012; at first base for a combined no-hitter thrown by six Seattle Mariners pitchers against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 8, 2012.

He became the only umpire in major league history to be behind the plate for two perfect games on June 13, 2012, when Matt Cain pitched a perfect game for the San Francisco Giants against the Houston Astros. And Barrett was behind the plate on August 7, 2004 for Greg Maddux’ 300th win.

During a game between the Atlanta Braves  and the San Francisco Giants on August 14, 2007, Barrett ejected Atlanta manager Bobby Cox for arguing balls and strikes. The ejection was the 132nd of Cox’s managerial career, breaking the major league record previously held by John McGraw in 1932.

He is also heavily involved with Christian ministry and has earned a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Trinity College and Seminary. In 2013, he earned his PhD in theology with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry from Trinity Theological Seminary.

On Tuesday, January 27, Laurel Prieb, Vice President, Western Operations and Special Projects of Major League Baseball will be Rotary’s guest speaker. Prieb was named Vice President for Western Operations and Special Projects for Major League Baseball in 2005. He serves MLB teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time zones and is a point of contact for the Arizona Fall League, the Cactus League and MLB’s business activities in the Pacific Rim. Previously, Prieb served as Vice President of Corporate Affairs for the Milwaukee Brewers and was the Traveling Secretary with the Minnesota Twins.

Prieb is the husband of Wendy Selig-Prieb, making him the son-in-law of just-retired Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes meets for breakfast every Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. in the Oakwood Country Club Ballroom. The meetings start at 7:00 and end promptly at 8:00 a.m. The cost of breakfast is $12. To make reservations for any meeting, contact Rotarian Don Prestin at 480-802-0439.