I had known Lenny more than twenty years, first meeting him in high school. I was a catcher. He was an umpire – usually behind the plate. A catcher’s relationship with the plate umpire can be unique because he is right there behind you. Conversation often ensues. I also think it’s strategically helpful to cultivate not only trust, but a friendship. That was certainly the case with Lenny who suddenly passed away last Friday. He was not only an umpire, but he was the head of the largest and best umpire association in Indiana.
The association became the best because LB was a mechanical perfectionist and expected the same from his “boys”. He instilled the fear of God in the guys who worked for him. In a lot of ways, he ran it like the mafia. Cross him and you’re out of the family. He was loud, threatening, obnoxious, rude, politically incorrect and had a command of obscenities second to none. He saw the world one way. His way. Within his ranks had no tolerance for incompetence or dissension. He also and an unbelievably quick wit that was disarming. He looked and sounded like the actor Joe Peci. When I once told that to Lenny, he said “yea, but I’m a #$*& lot better lookin’ !”. That’s LB or Pounder as he affectionately referred to himself.
To me, he was BLUE. He represented every umpire out there. He was as good at his craft as any I’ve every seen. I spent dozens and dozens of games at IU catching in front of him. He once remarked that I was his favorite catcher and coming from Lenny, that’s as high of a compliment you can get as a civilian (non umpire). His highest regard was for his boys – the men in blue. Lenny was an umpire’s umpire. If a new recruit couldn’t cut it, Lenny would blow him out of the water. If a guy showed up late or God forbid, missed a scheduled game, Lenny would fine or suspend him. He took it personally and the sooner you understood that, the easier your life would be as an umpire. But that raw passion is what drew so many of us to him in spite of his short comings.
His umpire association had over 100 active umpires that he scheduled. On any given weekend, he had guys in Missouri, Illinois and all over Indiana covering college and high school games. He took care of me as evidence by the attached email. His generosity was sometimes forgotten but he organized a big tournament every year in memory of a colleague whom he had tremendous respect. He expected every umpire in his association to work and donate their time.
My college baseball coach was pretty much the Bob Knight of baseball so the natural adversarial relationship he had with umpires was well established. But in four years, I only saw him get tossed once and that was by Lenny. While the exchange that led to coaches ejection isn’t really appropriate to print, I can say that the conversation they had quickly digressed from disagreements about balls and strikes into an exchange of f-bomb-laced anatomical insults including references to midgets (Lenny was maybe 5′6″ – maybe). But the one that got coach tossed, was the one, that in a way, questioned Lenny’s sexual preference. Lenny said in essence “Bob, now #@#$%, you know you can call me anything but a #@!*$#$% – YOU’RE GONE!! “.
By the way, he and coach have been good friends all the way though. In a lot of ways, they were two peas in a pod. So when Lenny referred to me as “little Bob”, it’s his term of endearment referencing Coach Morgan.
Anyway, I’m sure he’s in heaven arguing with Jesus about something. Come to think of it, he probably wants Saint Peter fired so he can keep the gate, a true one-of-a-kind.
Rest in Peace Pounder.
Brickens, Leonard C.
OCTOBER 31, 2009
Leonard C. Brickens 59, of Indianapolis, passed away on October 30, 2009. Born on September 4, 1950 in Indianapolis the son of Leonard I. and Jenny Fosso Brickens. Lenny began Umpires for Youth in 1971 and took over the Indianapolis Umpires Association (IUA) in 1973. He recruited, trained and scheduled umpires in central Indiana throughout all of those years. Lenny was also the umpire supervisor and scheduler for the Missouri Valley Baseball Conference since 2006. During his 40 year career, Lenny umpired all levels of baseball and had several appearances in NAIA World Series competitions, NCAA Division 1 Tournament, Division II and III College World Series, Missouri Valley Championship Series, and the Big Ten for many years. Lenny also represented the United States as an umpire at the Pan Am Games in Indianapolis, the Junior World Championships in Moncton, Canada, the European Olympic Championships in the Netherlands, and the World Baseball Championships in Taipai. He was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, the IHSAA, Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance, Amateur Baseball Umpires Association, Indiana Officials Association and The Fall Creek Officials Association. He organized a contingent of umpires to work pre-season collegiate baseball in Florida. Because of his dedication and perseverance, Lenny built one of the most respected and unique umpire organizations in the United States. He also can be credited with helping Central Indiana high schools to better their baseball programs by organizing and running a summer baseball program. To help supplement team costs for this summer program, Lenny organized and ran an annual Monte Carlo charity night in Indianapolis for many years. For the past 15 plus years, Lenny raised thousands of dollars within his IUA organization which was either given to specific charities or to families who had suffered losses of loved ones who were members of the IUA. Lenny is survived by his wife, Theresa Donahue Brickens, daughter Anissa Borden; sister,Stella Benefiel; granddaughter, Cayleigh Donahue. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Larry J. Brickens. Visitation will be on Sunday, November 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the mortuary. Funeral Services will be Monday, November 2 at 9:30 a.m. at Feeney-Hornak Shadeland Mortuary, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Indiana Heart Hospital.