It can take eight to ten years for an aspiring professional umpire to make it to the big leagues.  So things are right on time for 29-year-old Waupaca, Wisconsin native Nathan (Nate) Tomlinson.

After graduating from Waupaca High School in 2009, Tomlinson went right to professional umpires school in Florida.  That is when the long grind of trying to make it to the big leagues started.

Fast forward a decade and Tomlinson will make his Major League debut on Friday night.  He is scheduled to work the entire three-game series between the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX.

“It’s obviously an honor and a privilege,” said Tomlinson.  “It’s something that I’ve worked toward for the last, this is my tenth season, so it sort of feels like it’s all become worth it now.  Not that it wasn’t before, but this is sort of a little cherry on top.  Now the goal I guess is to stick, to stay.”

Tomlinson’s first assignment after umpiring school came in the Northwoods League, a summer collegiate wood bat league that has a number of teams based in Wisconsin.  From there, he went to rookie league ball, followed by a stint in [Read more…]