Umpire Profile

Umpire Profile

Andrew “Pushy” Mack

By Gary Reals

Blues, Andrew Mack’s pathway to us MAC umpires is a classic tale of being shepherded into the love of his life by Dad. But by the time he had completed college, Andrew was ready to put baseball in his rearview mirror. And then one day, a handful of years later, at of all places a dentist office, the young Mr. Mack felt the tug… and it was a good one! We’ll return to that part of his story, but first let’s go to where it all began. That would be the hamlet of St. James, located near Smithtown out on Long Island.

“Baseball has always been a huge part of my life,” Andrew recalls wistfully, “In fact, it was the meaning of life.” Mack’s dad coached youth baseball and also served as an umpire coordinator. Now, as most of you who know Andrew have probably noticed, he isn’t the tallest guy in the room. Indeed, a major disappointment during his youth was that he was simply too small a freshman to make the school team. But his Dad was “…very active with me. He was a phenomenal umpire!” and Jay Mack lovingly led Sonny Boy into the umpire world, starting in 7th & 8th grade and continuing through his college years at UMass-Amherst.

At the University, Andrew studied health, nutrition, and economics, a curriculum that prepared him very well for his eventual career pathway to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, which promotes American exports overseas. While still at Amherst, the young Mr. Mack also took up bike racing and scuba diving, but he was still umpiring baseball games too, although he says “umpiring started to take a back seat” by then. After getting his degree at UMass, and after all that umpiring over the course of 10 years, Andrew was feeling a little burnt out from baseball. He was looking for change!

Well, Blues, the young fellow got away from the game big time! Volunteering with the Peace Corps, Andrew was assigned to Belize, where he spent 2 years, 2016 through ’18. He says, “I needed a break from baseball.”, and he definitely got it. In a small Central American nation that sits on Mexico’s southern border, there is no baseball in Belize. Andrew says, “It was quite the experience… to share in a new human culture and aid in its development of food security. I knew I wanted some hands-on experience and I was passionate about work and some travel.” For him, at that point in his life, the Peace Corps “was a perfect fit.”

In January 2019, Andrew arrived in Washington to accept an offer to become an environmental program analyst with the EPA. He remained there for 5 years. Then in 2024, a position at USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service came his way. “I always wanted to work there. It’s really interesting work,” says Andrew. Mack now attends meetings around the world, helping represent the United States at the table internationally. “It’s really cool to represent us on really very large issues of food safety, food security and foreign trade, which combine to put money into our own farmers’ pockets.”

As the young fellow became ensconced in his new life here in the DMV, he had given little thought to poor baseball, which had been such a granular part of life in his earlier years. Bad boy! Well, Blues, thankfully Andrew wasn’t too busy to take care of his dental hygiene.

Fortunately, his dentist was a baseball mom. While cleaning his teeth on that day in 2022, she began snarling about the umpires in her son’s little league. She told Andrew, ” One of the umpires showed up at a game clearly intoxicated, and another one didn’t show up at all.” Somewhat quietly, Mack absorbed her frustration, “A week or two later, I was thinking I could be calling a game right now.” Voila!!!!

At first, he turned to 11- and 12-year-old baseball, which was somewhat unfulfilling given his prior experience. So, he called, who else—but Rob Porter. At that very moment of the post-COVID return to normal in 2022, Rob had two huge, demanding opposites to address: a massive deficit of trained umpires PLUS an overwhelming surge of potential newbies. Porter recalls, “I was spending 40 hours a week just talking with wannabe rookies.” Andrew Mack was one of them. But what Andrew had was an arsenal of experience, and also a boatload of determination. You see, Mack pushes! He was back on the 90-foot field in October ‘22 for a little Fall Ball. Are we curious to know who his very first partner was??? How about Matt Van Parys! “From the beginning,” Matt recalls, “Andrew had a great attitude. He’s like a sponge at taking feedback and applying it immediately.” For his part, Andrew recalls, “Matt gave me good feedback. I didn’t know how much I didn’t know.”

Early the following year, Andrew was a member of one of the greatest 1st-year training programs NVBUA has ever assembled. He was going to NVBUA Blue school with the likes of Andrew Klinger, Marcus May, Johnnie “Mr. Baseball” Blaeuer, and many other highly regarded current umpires here in 2026. Rob Porter says Mack was in the upper echelon of that class. “He was a super go-getter,” Rob recalls, ”except he tends to annoy you sometimes. In class, he wanted to answer every single question.” Yes, Mack pushes, but Rob adds, “to his credit, he listens and he fixes things.”

Another partner Andrew’s worked several games with is one of NVBUA’s senior brain trust members, Dave Lawrence, who says, “Andrew has got all those nuances. One, I often don’t see: he’s got some humility. He wants to know: how did I do on this or that play.”

Now, Blues, just because Andrew Mack has some humility, don’t think he’s a softie. Remember Mack pushes! Let’s go back to May 22, 2025 at Justice HS. Andrew had the plate for a playoff game between Hayfield and Mt. Vernon HS. Matt Van Parys and Yang Xie were on the bases. Van Parys observed, “He established himself as in charge right away!” Just a few pitches into the top of the 1st inning, the Hayfield coach began complaining about the calls. Van Parys remembers, “Andrew told him ‘coach, we’re not going there today.” A pitch or two later, more chirping and Mack restricted the coach to the bench. Yang says, “He did a hell of a job. It was a good call!” For himself, Andrew has no qualms, “I have restricted coaches for breakfast!”

Anthony Mayer is another MAC umpire who’s worked many games with Andrew, “I see a lot of me in him. At first, it was a lot of fun and some extra money. Then he decided to get better.” Anthony had an opportunity to watch Andrew work a game alongside his father, Jay Mack, who had come down to watch the latest edition of Sonny Boy. “We agreed he’s on the right track. It’s just a matter of time. His job is the only thing holding him back.”

But Blues, Andrew Mack isn’t going to be held back. Remember, he pushes. He’s at peace where he’s at right now and on the arc that he intends to follow in the coming years. He loves umpiring: “The camaraderie is a strong component of it. The decision-making involved is part of American culture.”

At USDA and its Foreign Agricultural Service, Mack “is happy with a solid career position and I’m committed to it. I have no desire to be an MLB umpire.” But, but, but there’s also baseball…the love of his life. Andrew fully intends to remain an umpire, hallelujah! “In 2027, I’d like to have more D-III games…and eventually perhaps D-1 fill-in is a goal.” And remember that camaraderie factor, Brothers. “I want to continue to improve and be a good partner,” affirms Andrew Mack.

This from Yang Xie, “He’s a tremendous asset to MAC.”

Anthony Mayer, “He’s a good teacher for the younger guys.”

Dave Lawrence puts it profoundly: “You (to Andrew) are the future of this organization.”

Rob Porter believes, “Andrew has two things going for him in spades: he moves around the field really well and he anticipates. Coaches notice that.”

Brothers, here in 2026, all that remains for Andrew Mack are the intangibles. The future is his, and Andrew pushes.