Gillette man chosen to umpire 2025 Babe Ruth World Series, only second in Wyoming to do so

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Teddric Walker wasn’t expecting it. Like a foul ball hit behind home plate, it came out of nowhere. Walker sat down at his computer, pulled up his email, and was surprised to see one from the powers-that-be for the Babe Ruth World Series — one of the largest and most well-known little league baseball tournaments in the world.

“Dear Teddric,” the email began.

“The Babe Ruth League World Series is a memorable and monumental experience for all staff members, participants, and their families. To make this event truly special, we strive to provide a team that exemplifies professionalism, dedication, and, above all, a passion for the game. It is with great honor that I inform you that you have been nominated by a Commissioner to serve as a member of our Umpire Crew for the 2025 16-18 Year-Old Babe Ruth World Series to be held in Ocala, FL.”

He was chosen, out of thousands of potential applicants, to umpire the Babe Ruth World Series and, for Walker, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime but, even more than that, it’s a chance to represent his community and be somebody that kids can look up to, whether they’re sports fans or not.

The Babe Ruth Program, of which the world series is a part, began in 1951. It was the brainchild of ten men who wanted to develop a program that would benefit, inspire, and engage young people, through baseball.

“Babe Ruth Baseball has increased steadily from its first 10-team league in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, to its present combined size of well over one million players on some 60,000+ teams in more than 11,000 leagues and over 1.9 million volunteers,” the Babe Ruth website states. “The divisions: Cal Ripken Baseball (for ages 4-12), Babe Ruth Baseball 13-18, Babe Ruth Softball, Bambino Buddy Ball and Xtreme Fastpitch are successful due to the millions of volunteer hours spent every year. Every volunteer from the local league manager to the chairman of the 17-member International Board is dedicated to the betterment of youth, while at the same time, producing better baseball and softball players.”

And the program can’t do that without the thousands of volunteers that sign up to serve, or are chosen to serve, in a variety of roles, including as umpires.

“The Babe Ruth World Series is like the Little League World Series on TV,” Walker said. “There’s a selection of, if I’m not mistaken, 2000 applicants over seven age groups, from softball to baseball. Out of the 2000 umpires selected, five are commissioner-picked to be able to go. So somebody important comes all the way from New Jersey to these regional games and they say, ‘This is the umpire that we should select to bring.’ So I was picked, one of five.”

Walker is only the second person from Wyoming to be picked for this honor. He’s the first from Gillette and, to him, it’s a chance to represent the city, and the state, that he’s lived in for a number of years.

“This means a lot to me,” Walker said. “We live in a smaller state and it’s not often that we get looked at for things. We’re not around major league cities. I mean, Denver is hours away but nobody’s looking around and saying, ‘Oh man, Wyoming’s got good umpires.’ So being picked, man, for me and my family, that means a lot. It means a lot that our hard work is noticed. Like, we’re Gillette and we have something to offer on that level, on that big stage of being on ESPN 2. So it means a lot to me to be able to represent our town, and our state as a whole.”

Walker has represented Wyoming for a while, and not just as an umpire. Walker is also a football coach for the Campbell County High School Camels. He’s a firefighter and a Campbell County Prevention Specialist as well. Everything he does, it seems, is to the benefit of others.

“I used to coach high school football and baseball in Mississippi and, last year, [the high school] didn’t have a coach. My kid played for the Camels last year and he was like, ‘Dad, you used to coach, we need a coach.’ So I said I’d come out of retirement to help him out. Well, I was invited again this year to come back. And it means a lot to be able to do that.”

That’s not the only time Walker was called upon when needed. He is also a member of the Army National Guard, a role he’s served in for the better part of two decades.

“I came from a single-parent home,” Walker said. “And I always strived to be the best, to be the first to do a lot of things in my family. I grew up looking at soldiers that weren’t in my family, and I was just in awe. So I was the first in my family to join the Army National Guard and now, 18 years later, I’m close to my 20 and am about to retire. So it just feels good to represent my country, and my family.”

And his state. Wyoming is home to countless men and women who give of themselves — whether it’s their time, their money, their blood, sweat, and tears, or all of the above. Some people are coaches. Some people fight fires. Some serve as umpires. Even more serve in the army.

Teddric Walker does all of it. And he does so with a smile on his face and humility in his heart. He does it because he was called to it. He does it because he was chosen. Most importantly, he does these things, simply because he wants to help.

As an alcohol, drug, and suicide prevention specialist, Walker talks to people every day who may be struggling. Whether they’re dealing with addiction issues or are fighting some other mental health battle, Walker’s job is to talk to people, to be there for them.

“My job is to remind people that we have resources available for people,” he said. “If you’re having mental health issues, or suicidal thoughts, or you’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, we’re here to help. I’m here to be the middle man to our community and even people in other communities.”

Walker said he got into this line of work due to what he saw in the Army.

“I grew up around a lot of vets that have been in these situations, and I was like, ‘Why keep quiet when you can do something for the community?’” he said. “Why not help our community? So that’s what I’m trying to do, There are so many people who are in these situations and they don’t know about the resources they are, or they don’t know how to use them. So I feel like it’s my job to help.”

It’s a big job. ‘Help’ is a simple word, a simple phrase. But it’s a big calling and it’s something that Walker has been trying to do for his entire life.

Being able to be an umpire for kids is just another way he can help, he said. It’s a way for him to lead by example, to always choose the right thing, even when it’s hard. And this honor, umpiring for the Babe Ruth Little League World Series — it’s the chance of a lifetime. It’s a way to represent Wyoming, and his little part of it. But more than anything, beyond all the glitz and glamour and notoriety and television cameras — beyond all of that — it’s simply another way to help.

When Walker opened up his inbox and saw that email, he smiled to himself. He read it once, twice, third time’s the charm. Then he sat back in his chair, thought about everything he’s done, everything he’s doing, and everything he wants to do, and he wrote back.

“I’m in.”

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