One California Little League umpire is becoming an internet sensation thanks to his over-the-top hustle, nonstop energy, and dramatic moves behind the plate.
Sawyer Sparks has gone viral after parents at a local game captured his animated umpiring style on video — and baseball fans can’t get enough of it.
The Bakersfield umpire has been making waves online for sprinting across the field, crouching low for calls, darting between plays, and treating every inning like Game 7 of the World Series.
Videos of Sparks in action exploded on social media after parent Justin Ritchie filmed him during a local Little League game and uploaded the clips to Instagram.
By Friday, one of the videos had already racked up more than 126,000 likes as viewers praised the umpire’s dedication and passion for the game.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Ritchie said he originally started recording because his wife had missed their son’s game and wanted updates.
“I was here watching my son’s game, and my wife wasn’t here yet,” Ritchie explained. “She was asking about the game and how our son was doing. I told her he’s not up yet, but this umpire, he’s really killing it out there.”
After posting the clips online, the response completely exploded.
“And the next day, just the views and comments and messages I’ve been getting from this kid, I was like — amazing!” Ritchie said.
But according to Sparks, the dramatic hustle isn’t about trying to go viral — it’s about making the right calls.
Because he often works games alone without additional umpires, Sparks said he constantly moves around the diamond to get the best possible view of every play.
“The reason why I run around the field is, since I’m the only umpire on the field, I want to make sure I get the most accurate calls as possible,” Sparks explained.
Fans online have praised the young umpire for bringing incredible energy to youth baseball, with many saying his enthusiasm makes the games even more fun for the kids playing.
After the video took off online, Sparks eventually got the chance to meet Ritchie in person and thank him for sharing the clips with the world.
“I went ahead and met Justin, and I just told him, hey, this is me, thank you for getting my skills out there and showing everybody what I can do,” Sparks said.