Saphire, a 2000 Centerville High School graduate, lives in Worthington and umpires college and high school games. The Ohio High School Athletic Association named him umpire of the year in 2025.
Saphire attended the famed Harry Wendelstedt umpire school in 2005 and earned a spot in the minor leagues. He worked the Gulf Coast Rookie League then advanced through the New York-Penn, Midwest, Carolina, Eastern and International leagues over the next eight seasons. He worked his final year of pro ball in 2014 in major-league spring training.
Dintaman, who lives in Kettering, was an all-state baseball player who found his way to Dayton through a baseball camp at the University of Dayton. He began his college career at Sinclair Community College in 2004 and was twice an all-conference outfielder. He moved on to UD but did not play baseball.
Instead, Dintaman went back to Sinclair as an assistant coach and became head coach in 2007. In 13 seasons, he compiled a record of 510-168, won the conference nine times and was named coach of the year 12 times. Two of his teams advanced to the junior college World Series, finishing fifth and third. He now serves as associate head coach at Northern Kentucky.
Day was a three-sport letterman in baseball, football and basketball at Miami East High School from 1978-81. He was a catcher and pitcher, batted over .400 in each of his three varsity seasons (.515 as a senior) and was all-state. During the summer of his senior year his Piqua-based team won the Connie Mack World Series.
Day earned a scholarship to Oklahoma State and went to four straight College World Series. He batted .522 in the 1984 CWS. His career batting average was .328. He played for Team USA in the World Championships and won the bronze medal.
The Montreal Expos drafted Day in the 13th round in 1985. He played two years before suffering a career-ending injury. He then coached in college for several years at Wright State, Kent State and Central Arizona.
Howard lettered in baseball, football and basketball at Valley View High School from 1978-81. He chose Ball State over Ohio State and Michigan so he could play baseball and football. For the Cardinals, Howard was the 1986 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and a first-team All-American after leading the league with a .448 batting average and 23 home runs (still the single-season record).
Howard was the first Ball State athlete drafted in the first round of a major sports league when the San Diego Padres selected him No. 11 in 1986. He played 11 seasons in the big leagues with six teams, including the Cincinnati Reds from 1993-96.
Yeager, a 1967 Meadowdale High School graduate, excelled in baseball, football and basketball and was MVP of the all-state game. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in the fourth round in 1967.
Yeager debuted with the Dodgers in August 1972 and played 15 seasons, all but his final with the Dodgers. He was second in Gold Glove voting in 1977. When the Dodgers beat the Yankees in six games in the 1981 World Series, Yeager shared MVP honors with teammate Pedro Guerrero and Ron Cey. Yeager batted .286 with two home runs and four RBIs.
Yeager remained with the Dodgers after retirement as a minor-league coach and manager. He appeared in and served as a technical adviser for the “Major League” movie franchise. He currently serves as a technical adviser for the Dodgers.
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
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