When Barry Jordan posed for a picture for the 1967
Windham Little League team, he didn’t realize that he was starting something
that would keep him involved with baseball long into the future. The first
baseman, catcher and pitcher, hasn’t played for 30 plus years, but now he has
been elected to serve as the New England Regional Commissioner and a member of
the International Board of Directors of Babe Ruth League, Inc.
Baseball has been part of many boys’ lives over the
years. Jordan has an impressive resume when it comes to the league.
Jordan has umpired four World Series for teams in the Cal
Ripkin Babe Ruth league and has been umpire chief for two 13-year-old series,
he said. He will be the tournament director for 16-year-old softball World
Series at the end of July in Florida. He has also been the press box
coordinator for softball tournaments, which includes working with the media,
coordinating schedules, stats, trophies and coordinating the choosing of player
of the tournament. When the details are for a 15-team tournament, it takes
skill to be in charge and Jordan has it.
In 1999, Jordan was named the State Commissioner of Maine
for the Cal Ripkin Division for 5-to 12-year-olds. In 2005, he added on
becoming the State Commissioner for all of softball and in 2010 he pulled a hat
trick and became the assistant regional commissioner for Babe Ruth softball for
all ages. He did all of these jobs at once.
He also was a volunteer. He did not get paid for any of
the work he did. They did help him cover his expenses when traveling.
“It’s my fulltime volunteer job,” he said with a chuckle.
His new position is the New England Regional Commissioner
for all of Babe Ruth, boys and girls. He was voted in by the 17 member
International Board of Directors, which he is now a part of. He is also on the
National Rules Committee, he said.
The road to the new position has been a big adventure.
Getting to know others and networking has helped him grow from umpiring
regional and state tournaments to being asked to move up.
“Of all the guys in Maine, he asked me,” he said,
describing himself as a big advocate for the kids. “We’ve grown every year
since we’ve been doing it.”
He doesn’t have to do all of the work alone. He has three
assistant regional commissioners and 20 state commissioners all across New
England.
“I use the chain of command very appropriately and 90
percent is taken care of before it gets to me. It’s not a job you can do by
yourself,” Jordan said. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of an organization. You
have to listen to them,” he added.
Recently Jordan helped to run a coaches clinic at Fenway
Park in Boston. “I was standing on the first base dugout addressing the coaches
at a clinic,” he said. That was one of the perks of being in his position.
July will be the busiest month for him with five regional
softball, six Cal Ripkin regional and four Babe Ruth regional tournaments.
Maine will host the 14-year-old regional softball tournament in Harrison and
the boys 14-year-old Babe Ruth New England tournament will be in Skowhegan.
Baseball builds teamwork and an overall positive attitude
like all sports do. Players learn respect and knowledge of the game, said
Jordan. He added that “coaches have a lot of do with a good experience.”
“You’ve got to love the kid when he’s successful and love
the kid when he fails. Batting .400 you’re failing 60 percent of the time,” he
said.
Jordan’s fulltime job is as a mortgage loan officer for a
bank. He travels to Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Florida, New Hampshire
and Massachusetts, but calls Sebago home.
Babe Ruth President/CEO Steve Tellefsen said in an
interview in February, “Babe Ruth volunteer board members serve countless hours
working to make sure our participants are provided with the very best
educational, sports experience possible. They develop policies and ensure that
all decisions made help our youth develop into successful and productive
adults. We are proud to have Barry Jordan join our board. His actions alone
have taught many people, young and old the value and importance of hard work,
community pride, honor and integrity.”
