2012 Umpire: Willis Miles

Willis Miles

Willis began umpiring in 1982 and has created a resume that reads like a who’s who of umpiring. During his stay behind the plate, Willis has umpired in 75 World Series events and has done 45 Championship contests.

In March of 2008, he was named United States Specialty Sports Fast Pitch Umpire of the Year. He also was named Assistant Illinois State Fast Pitch Umpire in Chief in 2010 to present.

In providing insight into Willis’s contributions to the Illinois USSSA, Brenda Paulson said, “Willis has been instrumental in the development of the Illinois USSSA Fast Pitch program and his umpires. Due to his efforts, we have been able to host much larger state and World Series events.”

In addition to Willis’s umpiring efforts, he has volunteered at the March of Dimes Snowball Tournament for the past ten years, while teaching 8- to 14-year-old players the fundamentals of the fast-pitch game. Presently he is also putting together summer camps for elementary students by teaching them the game of softball, while continuing youth instruction at summer leagues.

His abilities of passing on the knowledge of umpiring and the softball game to others has allowed Willis to become one of Illinois’ newest USSSA Hall of Fame members.

2014 Umpire: James Irvin

James Irvin

Over the past 33 years, Jim has umpired numerous leagues and tournaments in the Rockford area. In addition, he has umpired many different classifications at the state tournament level, while also doing National Invitational Tournaments at both the men's and women's levels.

Jim sites umpiring the 1996 Women's World at Kalamazoo, Michigan as being one of his most exciting events and remarks, "The friendships I have made with umpires and players all over the United States are everlasting."

Jim also says that umpiring has been very rewarding and he still loves the challenges it presents. He has also provided rules instruction at several umpire clinics over the years.

2015 Umpire: Mike Reeves

Mike Reeves

Although his officiating career was cut short by a leg injury in 1989, Mike Reeves established himself as one of the finest umpires to ever call a game in the Midwest area. He was well-known and well-respected wherever and whenever he took the field. He estimates that he averaged calling 300 games per year.

Mike held umpire clinics every year for all the umpires in Southern Illinois. He had the ability to train young umpires using his knowledge and expertise. This greatly enhanced the USSSA softball experience in the southern part of the state. Besides umpiring, he would hire and assign umpires for seven to ten different leagues. He was an asset to all league directors. He was the Southern Illinois Umpire in Chief for eight years and he called all the USSSA tournaments in the area. He feels fortunate to have been able to call World & Divisional Tournaments.

Mike could have also been inducted into the Illinois Hall of Fame in the Director Category. He served as the Southern Illinois State Director from 1984 to 1988 and was awarded State Director of the Year in 1988. During his tenure as a director, he organized and ran several State tournaments.

“Mike Reeves could do it all! He was a great umpire and in addition to directing Umpire Clinics in Southern Illinois and working numerous tournaments, Mike also worked Divisional Tournaments in Rockford with his partner Steve Manning. He was also a great Director and we missed him when he left USSSA to pursue his educational career. But we’ve finally found him and we are acknowledging all his USSSA efforts by Hall of Fame induction,” said Brenda Paulson, former Illinois State Director.

Mike feels that softball is an excellent way to obtain some exercise and to socialize with others that have like interests. He has always been proud to have been associated with USSSA as both an umpire and director.

2017 Umpire: Jerry Hoiness

Jerry Hoiness

Over the past 27 years, Jerry Hoiness has umpired many men’s and women’s leagues and tournaments in the Rockford and surrounding areas. He has umpired numerous National Invitational, Divisional, National and State Tournaments at the B, C, D and E levels, as well as a few World Tournaments.

When Ken-Rock Community Center transitioned from youth fast pitch to slow pitch in 200, “Hoiny” became their schedule and UIC for the kid’s program in 2002.

Jerry takes pride and joy in umpiring and coaching the kids, developing their softball skills and watching them grow into adults playing softball. Hoiny would like to see more defense in the adult slow pitch game and would like to see more enforcement of illegal bat rules. He says, “We need to promote the leagues to younger kids leagues to help with the numbers of players coming up to keep softball alive and thriving.”

2016 Umpire: Thornton Lee

Thornton Lee

Like many umpires, Thornton began umpiring when his playing days were over. Thornton participated with a 16” team named the Crusaders at Rosenbloom Park under the direction of Leonard McKinnon and USSSA program director Les Duncan. He retired and began umpiring 16” softball.  After a few years, he began umpiring Fastpitch softball in Crete, Illinois, under the direction of Frank Walz and at Rockford for USSSA State director Brenda Paulson.

Thornton has recorded working over 48 Fastpitch State Tournaments, and the still active 67-year-old has also worked 14 USSSA World Series events and 2 NITs in classifications ranging from 10-and-under through Women’s. He has also served the USSSA as a Tournament Umpire-in- Chief.

He has also been instrumental in providing and training young umpire talent for the USSSA program. He joined forces with Keith Tillman and HOF Umpire Tom Seddon in accomplishing this feat.

Thornton says this is the “most wonderful game there is. I’ve seen kids of all ages out there enjoying themselves. Leaves you with a smile on your face knowing you gave them 100%.”

He states that his most exciting umpire accomplishment was being chosen to do the final game of the Women’s World Series at Rockford. He has also been awarded the Illinois Umpire of the Year Award, named for his fellow partner Tom Seddon. The Tom Seddon Award is the most prestigious award for an Illinois umpire.

Thornton has gained another prestigious award, as he entered the Illinois USSSA Hall of Fame!