Umpiring can sometimes be a thankless job and that is just how Gerry Howard likes it. “My policy on umpiring, and it was drilled into my head early on, is if you can’t remember who umpired a game he did a good job,” Howard said. “You are not the show. You don’t want to take the game away from the people”.

Howard has not missed many calls during more than 30 years behind home plate. The Charleswood native worked at more than two dozen national and international softball championships since he began his career in the old Winnipeg Industrial League in 1962.

Howard grew up playing softball in Kelwood, Manitoba. He was forced to quit playing at the age of 22 after undergoing a series of operations on his back. “I had to give up playing. I couldn’t even slide anymore. With umpiring, I still felt like I was part of the game,” he said. Howard was inducted into the International Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was only the fifth umpire and second Canadian to receive such an honour.

Gerry Howard was also active behind the scenes. A former umpire-in-chief for Softball Canada, he was instrumental in implementing a national certification program for umpires. Gerry Howard was the assistant umpire-in-chief at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was also inducted into the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame.