Local umpire dies after collision at softball game

A local umpire tragically passed away Monday following a collision with a baserunner at a softball game in Auburn on Sept. 11. Robert Morris, who served as a softball umpire at the high school, collegiate and adult levels for three decades, was umpiring a game at Recreation Park when he collided with a baserunner. According to witnesses and those close to Morris, he moved into position when a ball was put in play but did not see the runner advancing to second. The runner attempted to avoid a collision but was unable to. Morris hit his head on the ground and was knocked unconscious. He was tended to by EMTs and while he initially regained consciousness, he was disoriented, prompting him to be transported to a hospital by ambulance. Upon his arrival, he was put on life support and ultimately succumbed to his injuries. He was 74. Auburn Recreation District Administrator Kahl Muscott said, "The Auburn Area Recreation and Park District is aware of an incident involving an umpire from the Greater Sacramento Softball Association and is currently investigating." With news of Morris' passing, many local umpires and associations offered their condolences to one of the region's longest-tenured officials. "Bob was so full of life, he never skipped a beat. From judging coach dance-off to being the poster boy for the USA Softball of Sacramento trailer, to being a good sport while we honored him on his birthday, he made each encounter a little lighter," said USA Softball of Sacramento in a Facebook post. "Bob's great sense of humor and infectious smile will be deeply missed. It's hard to imagine not seeing him at the field again. He touched countless lives, mentoring new umpires and guiding so many through the years. The brotherhood of umpires lost one of the greats. His impact on our game and community will never be forgotten." "Robert was a good partner on the field and the kind of guy that coaches like to see on their games," said Pete Dufour, a longtime umpire who worked with Morris. "He was always friendly and respectful and was a good mentor to younger officials." "He was my first mentor," said Dominic Mercier, who has known Morris for 30 years. "We were umpiring one night and he was working on one field, I was working on another. He came over and started yelling at me to check the bats. I told him that I did check the bats and he asked if there were any double barrels. I said, 'What's a double barrel?' and we immediately became friends." The two worked games together for decades, and in recent years, Mercier had been assigning Morris to contests. He recalled some of the career highlights Morris was most proud of, including working his first collegiate assignment in 2024 and working a game at Sutter Health Park featuring the U.S. Olympic team. "One of Bob's highlights was getting to work that Olympic team game with some of us," Mercier said. Mercier was among the first to arrive at the hospital the night of the accident, saying he had just returned from out of town when he received the call. He described the surreal moment of waiting for Morris to arrive after being rushed from the field. "I actually beat him to the hospital," Mercier said. "When they finally let me in, the nurses started asking me questions about notifying next of kin. He started having trouble and they immediately put some attention on him, as I was standing there in the emergency room. They got a stable and that took about 15 minutes." Beyond his work on the field, Morris left lasting impressions through personal connections. Mercier shared a favorite memory involving his daughter, who once worked as a scorekeeper. "Bob was her favorite umpire," he said with a laugh. "He used to make fun of me for that, but I was proud of it. For years I got to play the jealous dad, but I was happy it was Bob." Local umpire associations are already discussing ways to honor Morris, with ideas ranging from memorial patches to special coins and a private service. "It's devastating, but we need to honor him properly," Mercier said. "Bob was the right guy to do it with. We love him, he'll be missed, and we'll always have good stories about him."