What was your most challenging situation as an umpire?
My most challenging situation as an umpire was in August 1976.
I was selected to umpire in the “Big League” Baseball World Series (part of Little League Baseball) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  I did not know anyone there.  I was picked up at the airport and taken to the “Yankee Clipper” Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. The next day I was picked up and met with the rest of the umpires who had been selected to officiate the series.  There were 24 other umpires with 4 times more experience than I had.  We umpired in 6 man crews just like in the Major League Baseball World Series.  We umpired together for 7 days.  The day prior to the Championship game, we all had a meeting in the hospitality room.
The Umpire-In-Chief a professional player in the Boston Red Sox farm system, talked about the selections he had made for the championship game in conjunction with all the team managers participating in the series, 12 total.  He named the foul line and base umpires and left the plate umpire for last. He paused, and you could hear a pin drop and everyone was looking at each other and he named me as the home plate umpire for the championship game.  I cried because I did not expect it, because of my lack of experience at the time.  The teams participating were Taiwan and a team from Southern California.  In 1976 the game was being televised live to Taiwan at $30,000.00 per minute.  The final score 2-1 Taiwan.

What was your best and funniest moment?
I was in the United States Air Force at the time.  The President of the Big League World Series wrote my Wing Commander at Bitburg Air Base and requested that my home of record be changed to Fort Lauderdale, Florida so I could return to umpire in the “Big League World Series”.  Because as a visiting umpire I could only be invited one time.  As a local umpire I could return.  For 12 consecutive years I returned to umpire in the “Big League World Series”.
The funniest moment of my umpiring career was when the Rhein Main team was scheduled to play the Bitburg Team for the European Senior League Championship, of which my two sons were playing for.  One of my son’s was pitching against his son on the Rhein Main team.  The tournament director did not want me umpiring the game behind home plate.  However the oppponent team coach told the tournament director, Tomas Villegas has to umpire the game behind home plate or they will not play the game.

In your opinion, what makes a good umpire?
A good umpire has to be dedicated and disciplined.
He needs to know the rules and mechanics of the game he/she officiates.  Be fair, consistent and have no bias.  Wears uniform in a proper manner and be approachable in all situations.  He must carry himself properly and be professional at all times, under any circumstances.

What do you like when you officiate in the ESSL?
I like to officiate in the ESSL because of the camaraderie of the teams.  They get along, closeness, solidarity and mutual support for each other.  The players and the league are improving every year.  The competition is getting better every season and the players are willing to learn and get better.  Besides we have teams participating from different cultures and that makes it interesting and challenging.
I’m proud to be an umpire for the ESSL.  The ESSL has come a long way from the first time I drove from Landscheid, Germany to Linz, Austria (14 hours) and we could only play 2 games because of the rain.

Tell us some highlights of your career as an umpire?
The highlights are too many to mention here, but I will name my top 10.
1.  Big League World Series Home Plate Umpire, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2.  Commissioner of all USAFE Sports Officials in Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Fast and Slow Pitch Softball, Baseball, Soccer and Boxing, Germany
3.  USA National Slow Pitch Softball Championships, Columbus, Ohio
4.  Little World Series Umpire, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
5.  Fast Pitch Softball Umpire, Pan American Games, San Juan, Puerto Rico
6.  ASA Women’s Slow Pitch Championships, Rock Hill, South Carolina
7.  Fast Pitch Softball Umpire, Macabiah Games, Tel Aviv. Israel
8.  USAFE Sports Hall of Fame, Germany
9.  ESSL Umpire-In-Chief
10. Saigon International Softball Classic, Vietnam

Matthew Gilliard
Born 4 August 1960 in Charleston, SC.
He has officiated in three different levels since starting to umpire in 1995. (20 years). He called Intramural Championships, Army Softball Championship, Army & Air Forces Championship and he has been called to help officiate other host nations softball championship games.

Matthew Gilliard has been a member of ASA since 1995.

Tomas Villegas Jr.
Member of the ASA Gold Medals Umpire Program for officiating softball for more than 40 years.
Officiated ASA National Championships is Slow Pitch and Fast Pitch Softball.
Retired United States Air Force:  25 years.
Retired United States Civil Service 22 years.
Commissioner of Officials for the United States Air Forces Europe, in Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Slow Pitch Softball, Men’s Fast Pitch Softball, Soccer, Baseball and Boxing.
Commissioner of Officials and Sports Contractor for the Department of Defense Schools in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy and Spain.
Umpired in the Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, United States, Canada and Monterey, Mexico.
Umpired in the Macabiah Games (Jewish Olympics) Fast and Slow Pitch Softball Championships, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Umpired 15 Big League (Little League) World Series, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2 Little World Series, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 2 Senior League World Series, Gary, Indiana and Taylor, Michigan, Girls Little League Softball World Series, Portland, Oregon.
Member of the Little League Baseball World Series Alumni.
Officiated in NFL Europe for 10 years.
Officiated numerous Championships in Slow and Fast Pitch Softball, baseball, football, soccer, basketball and volleyball.
Elected to the United States Air Forces Europe Hall of Fame in 1985.
Presently travel all over Europe and the United States officiating and conducting sports clinics.
Attend Sports Clinics yearly in order to stay current with new rules, in softball, baseball, volleyball, basketball and soccer.