Atlantic League mourns the loss of umpire Marty Bauer

Marty Bauer, a veteran minor league umpire, passed away on Friday, October 4.

Bauer, 54,  had worked in the Atlantic League from 2008-2013 and again in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

“He was an outstanding umpire and an even better man,” said High Point Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.

Obituary

In the verdant fields of the eternal beyond, Martin Edward Bauer, Jr., known to all as Marty, has laid down his earthly burdens. Born under the summer’s zenith on the nineteenth of July in the year 1970, in the historic city of Baltimore, Maryland, Marty graced this world with his presence until the fourth of October, 2024, when he departed from Elkridge, Maryland, taken by the silent thief of life, cardiac arrest.

Marty’s lineage was noble and loving, the son of Martin E. Bauer, Sr. and Kathleen E. Bauer, who bestowed upon him a legacy of kindness. His sister, Katie Brown, was his confidante and friend, her son Hammond, a cherished nephew. In the bloom of his life, he was joined by Melissa Roy, his devoted fiance, with whom he shared a love that poets dare but to write. His daughters, Grace and Emma Bauer, were the stars in his sky, and his uncle and aunt, Timothy and Sue Bauer, along with his aunt Jodie Weyer, were steady beacons of support and joy.

Educated at the esteemed Loyola High School, Marty’s thirst for knowledge led him to the hallowed halls of Lynchburg College. His path, however, was not of quill and ink, but of leather and diamond; for Marty became a heralded Professional Minor League Baseball Umpire, a guardian of the cherished pastime’s sacred rules.

Yet, when the roar of the crowds and the crack of the bat did fade, Marty found solace and joy in the quieter arenas of life. A golfer of no small skill, he traversed the greens with the same precision with which he called strikes and balls. Concerts would often find him among the throngs, lost in the music that moves the soul. Friends were his comrades in many a card game battle, and his laughter was a balm to all who had the pleasure of his company.

Travel was in Marty’s blood, and Myrtle Beach knew his footsteps well, as did the friends he cherished in North Carolina. But of all the places he roamed, none were as dear as the side of his beloved Mel, with whom every moment was a treasure.

In Marty’s essence, one found a man selfless, funny, and passionate. He lived not for himself, but for the joy and betterment of others. To describe him, one might recall the words of the poet John Donne, who wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Marty was indeed a part of us all, interconnected in the grand tapestry of life.

So, let us not mourn Marty with sorrow’s tears, but celebrate him with joyful remembrance. For as the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, penned, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.” Marty played his parts with exuberance, with love, and with a grace that will echo in the hearts of those he touched for generations to come.

As the sun sets on the life of Martin Edward Bauer, Jr., we bid him adieu, knowing that somewhere, on a celestial diamond, he is calling a perfect game. And in the quiet moments, we shall feel his warmth, as if the sun has not truly set, but rather taken residence in our hearts, where Marty’s spirit will forever reside, umpiring the games of angels.

Wednesday
October 9, 2024
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home
4112 Old Columbia Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21043

Friday
October 11, 2024
10:00 AM
St. Jude Shrine
308 N. Paca St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

Friday
October 11, 2024
11:30 AM
Loudon Park Cemetery
3620 Wilkens Ave
Baltimore, MD 21229