A TTMer Has Passed Away

On Friday, September 21, 2012, Tom Umphlett passed away at the age of 81.  He had played for the Red Sox in 1953 and the Senators in 1954 and 1955.

I discovered that Mr. Umphlett was from a small NC town that I visit frequently, as I do a lot of my environmental consulting work there (that is where two of our clients have their home offices).  I thought it was cool to send a ball off to a former player that I had the possibility of bumping into at a gas station or Wal Mart, etc.

I don't know the cause of death, but at 81, it probably could have been a multitude of things.  It is sad, however, no matter the cause.  I never knew the guy, but I appreciated his generosity when it came to taking the time to sign my ball.  I will say a prayer for his family and be thankful I had this small interaction.

I haven't really thought about it until now, but given the age demographic of the players I have been sending to, and the 64 TTM successes I have received, only two have passed away so far.  It is inevitable, for sure, but I don't like to think about it.  I'm not one of those guys who likes to dwell on that type of thing nor do I entertain the thought of selling my ball, just because the player had died in hopes of cashing in.  I intend to keep my baseballs as long as I am around and probably will pass them on to my son later on.

For a more positive look at Mr. Umphlett, here is a link to my TTM success from January 11, 2012 and here is a link to Mr. Umphlett's obituary.