By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Covington native and longtime major league umpire Randy Marsh worked home plate for Monday's Opening Day game at Great American Ball Park and was joined by three other Kentucky natives around the bases.

The four umpires will officiate tonight's game and Thursday's 12:35 p.m. game at the park to wrap up the Reds-Pirates series, then will go to Minneapolis before rejoining their regular crews.

Major League Baseball tries to accommodate requests from its umpires for special assignments when new ballparks are christened. And so it was that crew chief Marsh found himself behind the plate Monday with Larry Vanover (Owensboro), Greg Gibson (Ashland) and Sam Holbrook (Lexington) around the bases.

"We had a group picture taken at the new ballpark of all the guys and their families - it was quite a day," said Marsh, who resides in Edgewood. "It's like Greg Gibson said: `Days like this only come around once.' "

Marsh, who has worked a slew of postseason games, is regarded as one of baseball's best umpires, and also has a nice resume when it comes to Cincinnati moments.

Only a few days removed from graduating umpire school in 1968 and awaiting assignment to the Appalachian League, he umpired (at first base) a Kid Glove exhibition game at Crosley Field between the Reds and Cleveland Indians.

Working home plate and second base, respectively, that day were umpire standouts John Kibler and Shag Crawford.

Marsh made his major league debut at Riverfront Stadium in 1981. Monday was his fourth Opening Day in Cincinnati.

There wasn't any adjustment period for Marsh and his specially assembled crew.

"Larry was on my crew last year; Sam was on my crew part of last year; and Gibby, well, I taught at umpire school when every one of them went through umpire school," Marsh said. "I'm proud to walk on the field with them."

Marsh said Monday was emotional for the umpires, too, even though they are supposed to be devoid of emotion.

"I was back in the (umpire's dressing room) getting my gear on, watching it on TV, when (New York City policeman) Daniel Rodriguez sang the national anthem," Marsh said. "But I was about 20 feet away from him when he sang `God Bless America' during the seventh-inning stretch. If that doesn't send chills up your spine, nothing will."

Marsh said he's been part of several red-white-and-blue splashed ceremonies at various ballparks and witnessed numerous others on TV, "but it was wonderful to see it here, in Cincinnati, with the new ballpark on center stage."

And what does Marsh think of the new ballpark?

"It's intimate," he said. "The fans are close. But one thing (the men in blue) know: Fan-friendly isn't umpire-friendly. The fans are right on top of everything. There are going to be a lot of people reaching over to get (baseballs that are in play)."