Hall of Fame Information
The first female umpire elected to the Hall of Fame, Alexander said,”It doesn’t carry a lot of meaning for me. I think myself as an umpire and not a woman umpire. Along the way I encountered unique obstacles because of being a woman but I also have been given unique opportunities for the same reasons and so I figure it evens out. I still had to do the job. “The full impact of this honor has not completely sunk in yet,” continued Alexander.”I don’t know if it will. It seems strange and almost illogical to be rewarded for an obsession. Had I worked toward this end (Hall of Fame election) I would feel satisfaction. Because I did not, and it has come to me anyway, I feel humble and very happy. To be elevated–so to speak–to the level of the people you have always respected and by an organization you have almost revered is a sense of wonderment.” Alexander started umpiring in 1974 and umpired her first ASA national in 1980, (Women’s Major Fast Pitch), then did the Women’s Major National in 1987 and the Men’s Major Fast Pitch in 1994. She also has umpired the Men’s Class A Fast Pitch National twice (1991 and 1993) and the Men’s Class B Fast Pitch National in 1988. Besides the ASA nationals, Alexander has umpired two Olympic Festivals (1990 and 1995), three National Team Tryouts (1979, 1995 and 1997), SuperBall in 1997, North American Women’s Fast Pitch Championship (1980), World Games One (1981), Junior Girls World III (1987) the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA with the softball competition in Columbus. Since 1981, she has been ISF certified in fast pitch and has been a National Federation of State High Schools Associations certified umpire since 1975. From 1979-1982, she was the NAGWS National Softball Rules Interpreter and served as Phoenix deputy UIC from 1981-1983. In 1994, she was named Phoenix UIC for fast pitch and from 1999-2001 was the Phoenix UIC for both fast pitch and slow pitch. She founded the Cactus Umpire Association in 1978, and has been an assistant instructor or instructor at various ASA umpire schools. She has been recongized and honored including being the Arizona Softball Official of the Year twice (1995 and 2000), ASA Region 13 Award of Excellence (1994), John McGonigle Memorial Award for Umpire Excellence (1993) and the National Indicator Fraternity (1988). In 2007 was named one of 52 most influential in officiating history by Referee Magazine.