Bob Savoie spent more than 20 years in the Air Force as a weatherman before retiring in 1974 and couldn’t have forecast his eventual induction into the National Softball Hall of Fame, November 17, 2005 in Tucson, AZ. In fact, Savoie said,”When I started umpiring in Hawaii (1969), I probably didn’t know where the ASA Hall of Fame was located. After my appointment to the Metro DC UIC position and I became more familiar with the ASA, I would walk through the Hall and marvel at the accomplishments of the members, some I knew and got to know through the years. The fact that I am now one of them boggles my mind. I never in my wildest fantasies believe that this would happen to me. “Election to the Hall of Fame,” continued Savoie, “is the capstone of a satisfying career that could have easily ended without this great honor. The fact that my career and contributions were recognized and rewarded is far beyond my wildest expectations.” Savoie can thank his wife, Arlene, for getting him into umpiring when they lived in Honolulu. She sent him across the street to a neighbor’s house to borrow a screwdriver. “We were hanging the drapes in the living room, so I went to borrow one (screwdriver) from a neighbor,” said Savoie.”Turns out he (the neighbor) is president of the Little League Association. I came back with a black and white striped shirt and a rule book. That was it.” After retiring from the Air Force, Savoie and his family moved to the Washington, D.C. area where he joined the Greater Washington Umpires’ Association and served as the association UIC from 1977-1983. In 1978, Savoie was appointed Washington D.C. UIC and served in that position until March of 1990 when he was named to ASA National Umpire staff, representing Region Three (Central Atlantic). He replaced Henry Pollard after Pollard was named ASA deputy director of umpires in 1989. During his career, Savoie umpired two Central Atlantic Regionals, and four ASA nationals (Men’s A SP, 1976. Men’s Armed Forces SP, 1979; Men’s Major Modified Pitch, 1980 and Men’s Major Fast Pitch, 1981). In 1987, he was selected to umpire the ISF Junior Girls’ World Championship in Oklahoma City. In 1984, Savoie earned his ISF certification in slow pitch and is a member of the Greater Washington Slow Pitch and Fast Pitch Halls of Fame, the only person to achieve this recognition. In 1987, Savoie was inducted as a charter member of the National Indicator Fraternity. Bob is a member of the Indiana (1994), Tidewater, VA (2002) and Pennsylvania (2003) ASA Halls of Fame. Savoie has been an instructor at more than 20 national umpire schools and 13 advanced schools.
