David Martinez always loved the game of baseball.
“Probably from the minute I was born, I always wanted to play baseball,” said Martinez, a native of Jersey City’s Greenville section. “I played since I can remember. I was brought up around some of the most knowledgeable baseball people. I just grew up around baseball.”
Martinez played in both the West Side and Greenville American Little Leagues. After graduating from P.S. 38, Martinez went to Marist High School and played three years under the legendary Mike Hogan (currently at Ferris in Jersey City) and Vin Bello (currently at Pope John of Sparta).
Martinez was all set to play college baseball, when disaster struck.
“In the summer of my senior year of high school, I hurt my shoulder pretty bad in a car accident,” Martinez said.
The accident that occurred in the Jersey City Heights ended Martinez’s baseball career.
“It was kind of heartbreaking the way it happened,” Martinez said. “But I knew God had plans for me. He knew that I loved to play, but couldn’t play anymore, so He put me in position to somehow pursue my true love.”
Martinez spent a few years away from the diamond. He got a job, found a wife in Angel, a Bayonne girl. He was ready to get on with the rest of his life.
Then, one Sunday morning, out of the blue, Martinez’s life was about to change. At the age of 24, Martinez found happiness back on the baseball field.
“A friend called me and asked me if I wanted to umpire a game,” Martinez said.
It was an adult game in Slopesburg, N.Y., a men’s league.
“I said, ‘That sounds like fun,’” Martinez said. “I borrowed catcher’s equipment and some soccer shin guards and a catcher’s mask and headed out there.”
Martinez umpired that game and did very well — so much so that his friend gave him a set of umpire’s equipment.
“He told me that he thought he would need me every weekend,” Martinez said.
Needless to say, Martinez was hooked.
The summer umpiring led Martinez to try to get involved in working high school games the following year.
“I was told that the [umpiring] class [to become state-certified] began in January,” said Martinez, recalling the baby steps he made in 2004. “I was hoping that my friend would call to take me to the class. Sure enough, in January, he called and I ended up starting the class to umpire high school games.”
That spring, Martinez was umpiring freshman and junior varsity games in Hudson County.
“I was just learning the ropes,” Martinez said. “I was getting my feet wet.”
Martinez said that he gained a lot of credibility for working a game in North Bergen and waiting some time for the opponent to arrive.
“The other team never showed up,” Martinez said. “I figured they got stuck in traffic or something. But because of waiting, I started to get some other games.”
Right in the middle of his rise up the ranks, Martinez caught another bug. He went to become an assistant coach at his high school alma mater Marist.
“I was the JV [junior varsity] and assistant coach there,” Martinez said. “I did it for two years. I got to test the waters a little, but I was still teaching the game.”
In 2006, Martinez went back to umpiring.
“I realized that I really liked it,” Martinez said. “I don’t think I had the same love for coaching that I had for umpiring.”
After Martinez returned as the man in the mask, he wasn’t about to surrender the spot. He gained such respect and admiration from his peers that he managed to call the balls and strikes in four consecutive Hudson County Tournament championships.
“I liked it more and more and started to ask people about doing college games,” Martinez said.
Before he did, Martinez did umpire the NJSIAA Group I state championship game in Toms River.
“After that game, Stuart Leon [the NJSIAA state rules interpreter and respected baseball man] stopped me and asked me if I ever considered going professional,” Martinez said. “I never even gave it a thought.”
Leon liked Martinez so much that he gave him a scholarship to professional umpire’s school.
“I was teaching at Marist at the time,” Martinez said. “It was my seventh year there. I didn’t know what to do. It was a gamble on my part. I talked to my wife and she encouraged me.”
Martinez took a leave of absence from Marist to attend professional umpire school in Florida.
“I went there and did well,” Martinez said. “There was an evaluation course where I had to study the rule book. I spent hours learning the rule book and worked on my proper mechanics.”
Martinez had to decide whether to remain a teacher or go after a lifelong desire.
“I invested all my savings,” Martinez said. “My wife tells me all the time that I have to pursue my dreams. I have two children [son A.J. age 10 and daughter Skylia age 7] that I had to worry about. I had already given up on it. I had to clear my mind and work hard. I knew where I had to go.”
After his second stint at an umpire’s school in 2013, Martinez received an assignment to work in the Gulf Coast League in Florida in 2014, the New York/Penn League in 2015 and this year, Martinez has found regular work in the South Atlantic League, a full season Class A organization.
“I feel like a million bucks,” Martinez said. “I can’t believe how far I’ve come.”
On Tuesday, Martinez will work in the South Atlantic League All-Star game in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I have to stay humble,” said the 36-year-old Martinez. “But I am happy where I am today. I can’t even begin to thank all the people I have to thank, the lessons I’ve learned over the years that are priceless. You can’t pay for this kind of knowledge, umpiring in professional baseball. I have so much more to learn, but I do feel I’ve made some development. I’m just very humble and enjoying the ride.”
Martinez thanked the Hudson County Umpires Association for their support over the years, people like Gene Klumpp and Mike Zadroga, Sr.
“They set the foundation for me way back when,” Martinez said. “They set the tone. They all watched me grow. It was a true team effort.”
The pieces are in place for David Martinez, who is on his way to fulfilling a dream _ the possibility of making it to the major leagues.
“I never thought any of this was possible,” Martinez said. “But I’ve worked hard and spent a lot of time away from my wife and children.”
It’s all worth it _ when you’re pursuing a dream.
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