Perry Barber
@umpireplb.bsky.social
she/her, dispelling any confusion
Trying to keep it positive here, but I mean, how dare we. HOW DARE WE.
January 3, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Trying to keep it positive here, but I mean, how dare we. HOW DARE WE.
Every new year is a reminder of Clemente's generosity and regard for his fellow humans, the ones who suffered, the ones he would never know, not they, him, but whose lives he touched because that was who he was, a life-toucher, a game-changer, a man who didn't want to be a hero but was one anyway.
Please take a moment to remember Hall of Famer and humanitarian Roberto Clemente who died in a plane crash 53 years ago today while attempting to deliver relief supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua.
This photo of Clemente's son after the crash gets me every time.
This photo of Clemente's son after the crash gets me every time.
December 31, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Every new year is a reminder of Clemente's generosity and regard for his fellow humans, the ones who suffered, the ones he would never know, not they, him, but whose lives he touched because that was who he was, a life-toucher, a game-changer, a man who didn't want to be a hero but was one anyway.
Mets v. Braves too
December 30, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Mets v. Braves too
People need to realize that in our world full of an ever-increasing number of natural disasters, if a cataclysmic event destroys your life, you're on your own. No help is coming, especially not from the federal government.
Hundreds of residents signed up for FEMA buyouts after Hurricane Helene. Not one has been approved.
December 29, 2025 at 6:12 PM
"Locker Room Talk: A Woman's Struggle to Get Inside" is Melissa Ludtke's eyewitness account of the turbulent times during which she opened the doors to the locker room to ALL reporters. Reading it will help you understand the context and the incredible intrepidity it took for her to do what she did.
December 29, 2025 at 9:01 AM
"Locker Room Talk: A Woman's Struggle to Get Inside" is Melissa Ludtke's eyewitness account of the turbulent times during which she opened the doors to the locker room to ALL reporters. Reading it will help you understand the context and the incredible intrepidity it took for her to do what she did.
New York City is a treacherous, slushy mess today, with more snow and dipping temps on the way, which will turn already slippery sidewalks into sheets of ice - but the dedicated building employees of Local 32BJ are hard at work salting and shoveling. Those good union jobs help keep New Yorkers safe!
December 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM
New York City is a treacherous, slushy mess today, with more snow and dipping temps on the way, which will turn already slippery sidewalks into sheets of ice - but the dedicated building employees of Local 32BJ are hard at work salting and shoveling. Those good union jobs help keep New Yorkers safe!
Reposted by Perry Barber
A nice profile today at Ball Nine on Leslie Heaphy, one of the foremost scholars of Negro Leagues baseball (and one of my favorite people on the planet): ballnine.com/2025/12/26/d...
Diamond Queens
Leslie Heaphy was pursuing a graduate degree in history at the University of Toledo when she learned about the trio of women who played in the Negro Leagues. “I was amazed, excited and a bit surprised...
ballnine.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:49 PM
A nice profile today at Ball Nine on Leslie Heaphy, one of the foremost scholars of Negro Leagues baseball (and one of my favorite people on the planet): ballnine.com/2025/12/26/d...
We can't all be Curt Flood, but we can all sure as hell be outspoken and brave - and right now, we all NEED to be.
The Christmas Eve Letter heard around the world...
"December 24, 1969
Dear Mr. Kuhn,
I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes."
Curt Flood, who was only 31
MLBPA paid his legal fees for his U.S. Supreme Court case
#BaseballandtheLaw 60-73
"December 24, 1969
Dear Mr. Kuhn,
I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes."
Curt Flood, who was only 31
MLBPA paid his legal fees for his U.S. Supreme Court case
#BaseballandtheLaw 60-73
December 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
We can't all be Curt Flood, but we can all sure as hell be outspoken and brave - and right now, we all NEED to be.
The landscape of professional umpiring has been a barren plain for too long, but Harry's Last Class - the final session of the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, which is shutting its doors in January 2026 after almost 50 years of promoting umpires into pro ball - will be changing that in a BIG way!
December 24, 2025 at 10:45 AM
The landscape of professional umpiring has been a barren plain for too long, but Harry's Last Class - the final session of the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, which is shutting its doors in January 2026 after almost 50 years of promoting umpires into pro ball - will be changing that in a BIG way!
I never really thought of Adam Smith as anything other than an economist because of his landmark tract, "The Wealth of Nations," but it turns out he was quite the soulful philosopher too. This quotation from his other book, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments," supports my conclusion.
December 22, 2025 at 5:47 AM
I never really thought of Adam Smith as anything other than an economist because of his landmark tract, "The Wealth of Nations," but it turns out he was quite the soulful philosopher too. This quotation from his other book, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments," supports my conclusion.
Who among us can't use a pep talk to reset our emotionally frothing feelings before we do something we might regret?
Thank you, PepToc Hotline
(love the name!)
Thank you, PepToc Hotline
(love the name!)
December 19, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Who among us can't use a pep talk to reset our emotionally frothing feelings before we do something we might regret?
Thank you, PepToc Hotline
(love the name!)
Thank you, PepToc Hotline
(love the name!)
Sickening and infuriating. A Black woman is silenced so Karoline Leavitt can lie through her teeth about "unanimity," and the Trump name can be slapped on another building, defiling its history and purpose.
The White House claims the vote to rename the Kennedy Center was “unanimous.” That is false. I was muted on the call and denied the opportunity to speak or register my opposition. That is not consensus. That is censorship.
December 19, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Sickening and infuriating. A Black woman is silenced so Karoline Leavitt can lie through her teeth about "unanimity," and the Trump name can be slapped on another building, defiling its history and purpose.
Women in baseball are hurting at the devastating loss of Rob Reiner, adoptive dad of Tracy, who's been a friend to all of us via her role as Betty Spaghetti in her mom Penny Marshall's classic "A League of Their Own," her support of @iwbc4me.bsky.social, & all of us in the women's baseball universe💔
December 16, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Women in baseball are hurting at the devastating loss of Rob Reiner, adoptive dad of Tracy, who's been a friend to all of us via her role as Betty Spaghetti in her mom Penny Marshall's classic "A League of Their Own," her support of @iwbc4me.bsky.social, & all of us in the women's baseball universe💔
Jen Pawol is Baseball America's 2025 Trailblazer of the Year, and she deserves all the accolades. Thanks to JJ Cooper and @baseballamerica.com for connecting Jen's journey to the majors with my dream project sponsoring 20 women at umpire school next month. www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-...
MLB Umpire Jen Pawol: Baseball America’s 2025 Trailblazer Of The Year
Jen Pawol made history this year as the first woman to umpire an MLB regular season game.
www.baseballamerica.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Jen Pawol is Baseball America's 2025 Trailblazer of the Year, and she deserves all the accolades. Thanks to JJ Cooper and @baseballamerica.com for connecting Jen's journey to the majors with my dream project sponsoring 20 women at umpire school next month. www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-...
Life in Kyiv continues as brave Ukranians carry on and the world bears witness. In a few months it will be four long years since the monster Putin made his move to steal what was not his. Why can't we end the war and preserve the beauty that remains, like this awe-inspiring cathedral and grounds?
I wanted to show you something beautiful tonight (night in Kyiv).
So I decided to take you on a short walk to the Dormition Cathedral.
See you tomorrow.
So I decided to take you on a short walk to the Dormition Cathedral.
See you tomorrow.
December 9, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Life in Kyiv continues as brave Ukranians carry on and the world bears witness. In a few months it will be four long years since the monster Putin made his move to steal what was not his. Why can't we end the war and preserve the beauty that remains, like this awe-inspiring cathedral and grounds?
Why I love closed captions
(The line is, “My invisible ray gun will soon stop him.”
(The line is, “My invisible ray gun will soon stop him.”
December 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Why I love closed captions
(The line is, “My invisible ray gun will soon stop him.”
(The line is, “My invisible ray gun will soon stop him.”
Reposted by Perry Barber
"New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters."
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
Know your rights. Protect your neighbors.
New York is — and always will be — a city for all immigrants.
New York is — and always will be — a city for all immigrants.
December 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
"New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters."
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
"New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters."
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
Know your rights. Protect your neighbors.
New York is — and always will be — a city for all immigrants.
New York is — and always will be — a city for all immigrants.
December 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
"New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters."
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
A declaration of love from our incoming mayor, plus practical advice for how to lawfully exercise the right to protest ICE incursions. Chef's kiss!
I hope ALL soccer fans will follow this lead & stay away in droves from next year's World Cup matches, but absent that happening, it would be awesome to see some insanely clever guerrilla tactics used during games to highlight the criminality & incompetence of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize "winner"
I love footballball but FIFA and Fascism is simply not worth it. I will not go to America or watch the games on Telly. I will #boycottTheWorldCup money makers.
December 6, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I hope ALL soccer fans will follow this lead & stay away in droves from next year's World Cup matches, but absent that happening, it would be awesome to see some insanely clever guerrilla tactics used during games to highlight the criminality & incompetence of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize "winner"
We can't all be Jane Goodall, but we can all sure as hell be difficult.
“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.”
― Jane Goodall
💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
― Jane Goodall
💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
December 6, 2025 at 10:14 AM
We can't all be Jane Goodall, but we can all sure as hell be difficult.
I believe this with all my heart
Love how the latest trend in sports is to use them to whitewash human rights abuses, to appease the fragile egos of powerful megalomaniacs and to promote fascism and corruption.
This is why women should be involved. Not on our watch!
This is why women should be involved. Not on our watch!
December 6, 2025 at 9:24 AM
I believe this with all my heart
Horrified at the laughingstock the United States has become because of this gross, greedy, grasping creep. He doesn't even understand this award is not an actual "honor" as much as it is a supplication because of the bullying jackass he is
www.axios.com/2025/12/05/t...
www.axios.com/2025/12/05/t...
Trump gets Peace Prize, but not the one he wanted
Trump accepted the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize at the 2026 World Cup draw.
www.axios.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Horrified at the laughingstock the United States has become because of this gross, greedy, grasping creep. He doesn't even understand this award is not an actual "honor" as much as it is a supplication because of the bullying jackass he is
www.axios.com/2025/12/05/t...
www.axios.com/2025/12/05/t...
A notable woman
Dr. Roberta Bondar--astronaut, neurologist, and photographer--was born #OTD in 1945.
She became #Canada's first female astronaut in 1992. The world's first neurologist in space, she is globally recognized for her contributions to space medicine. #WomenInSTEM #AstronautEnvy 🚀
robertabondar.com/
She became #Canada's first female astronaut in 1992. The world's first neurologist in space, she is globally recognized for her contributions to space medicine. #WomenInSTEM #AstronautEnvy 🚀
robertabondar.com/
December 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
A notable woman
As I lay feverish in my sickbed in New York earlier today, the temperature sinking lower & lower toward record- setting single digits, I watched “The Jackie Robinson Story” and was struck by how marvelous a film it is. A bit hokey and preachy in spots, but Jackie is phenomenal in it!
December 4, 2025 at 10:35 PM
As I lay feverish in my sickbed in New York earlier today, the temperature sinking lower & lower toward record- setting single digits, I watched “The Jackie Robinson Story” and was struck by how marvelous a film it is. A bit hokey and preachy in spots, but Jackie is phenomenal in it!