Baseball umpires from across the state gathered in Windsor Locks for their annual offseason banquet.
Two of the guests included MLB umpires Dan Iassogna and Jim Reynolds - UConn grads who got their start in college.
Former UConn baseball coach Andy Baylock created a program for aspiring umpires, and Iassogna and Reynolds were two of his first pupils. Both went on to pursue a career in umpiring and made their MLB debuts in 1999.
"You know I went to the University of Connecticut as a communication and journalism major and I left as an umpire candidate for umpire school," Reynolds said. "Because of the journey that Coach Baylock set us on, unintentionally, I met my wife, we have a 13-year-old son. I've enjoyed this job immensely."
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"It's a very surreal, full circle moment," Iassogna said. "Jimmy and I have been on this ride together since we met Coach Baylock in 1987. To go all the places we've been, we've umpired all over the world. We've just been so fortunate."
"I've been at this 64 years right now and seen a lot happen through the years but when people just progress and go along and I feel that maybe I gave them a little push along the way, I'm very thankful for that," Baylock said.
Reynolds, who retired last year, has umpired two World Series, while Iassogna has umpired three World Series, with the most recent coming in 2022.
