To make it in professional baseball, Tyler Garrison went back in the closet. Being openly gay was not an option, even as an umpire.
Garrison came out to his family and friends in 2002, shortly after graduating from Lewis-Clark State College. But when he went to umpire school in January 2004, run by former major league umpire Jim Evans, Garrison went straight, so to speak—even though his boyfriend, Frank Caruso, was at home in the Washington, D.C., area.
'When I went to umpire school, Frank was really supportive and I knew it was going to be tough,' Garrison said. 'I knew being out wasn't really an option. If you want to make it, it's just not possible [ to be out ] because of the macho environment and the competitiveness.'
__________
Tyler Garrison ( right ) and Frank Caruso. Image #2 Tyler Garrison. Photos courtesy of Garrison
__________
Garrison was among the elite umpire students in 2004, of about 400 from the then-two nationally-credited baseball umpire school that send umpires into the minor leagues.
'Being out would be more than just a strike against you. Maybe I'm pessimistic, but I can't even imagine being gay and making it,' he said. 'As competitive as it is, you don't really want anything to affect you.'
Garrison landed in the Northwest League for the summer of 2004, a Boise-based, eight-team, 76-game Short Season Class-A league with teams in Eugene, Ore.; Yakima, Wash.; and Vancouver, B.C., among other places.
The job was 'awesome' for Garrison, originally from Mt. Vernon, Ore.; he had family and friends attend almost every game.
His umpiring partner was Neil Turner, 'who was a really cool guy and we got along really well.' But Garrison never told Turner that he was gay. 'I didn't feel comfortable coming out to him, as cool as he was.'
Garrison said he never 'expressed interest' in girls to Turner that season, and Turner had a serious girlfriend and was loyal to her. 'Since he was loyal to her, that kind of lowered the pressure on me,' Garrison said.
The two often drank beers and returned to their shared hotel room after games, where they played video games into the wee hours of the night instead of prowling the area bars.
'Taking that step back [ into the closet ] was … not something that I ultimately wanted to do. To have to cut Frank and that whole part of my life out was difficult, to say the least,' said Garrison, who often left the hotel room and wandered down to the pool so he could have private phone talks—away from Turner—with Caruso.
And Turner actually called out Garrison several times for his somewhat mysterious phone calls. Garrison then come up with 'some lame excuses,' including 'white lies,' he said.
Garrison and Caruso talked daily, though Caruso never traveled cross-country to attend a game. Garrison retired after the '04 season, opting not to return for the 2005 season, though he had an offer to return to the field.
Umpiring professionally, he said, 'is not a life I now want. I don't want to jump from hotel room to hotel room, not being home.'
But if he was going to return to the game, Garrison would do one thing different for sure: 'If I had it to do all over again, I would do a season or two completely out, just to do it and maybe make a point,' he said. 'I contemplated returning in 2005 and being out. I wish I had had the balls to do it.'
Garrison said he has zero regrets about his baseball life. 'I'm glad I did it; it was an awesome experience. I made good friends who I'm still in touch with,' he said. 'I never wanted to live with the 'what if' question—what if I never tried [ umpiring professionally ] . I just realized it wasn't the life for me, so I've closed that chapter.'
Garrison has not spoken with Turner in years, and never told him that he is gay.
GETTING TO KNOW …
Tyler Garrison
Age: 29
Birthday: Nov. 22, 1978
High School: Grant Union ( Mt. Vernon, Ore., Class of 1997 )
College: Lewis Clark State College, Class of 2002
Lives in: Washington D.C.
Status: Boyfriend, Frank Caruso, is an economist.
Hobbies: Working out, softball, volleyball and snow skiing.
Favorite stadium: Camden Yards in Baltimore.
Favorite TV show: Baseball Tonight
Favorite movie: Field of Dreams
On umpiring partner Neil Turner: 'I really lucked out in having a good partner in the game.'
Could a minor league umpire be openly gay?: 'Yes, though I don't know how far they'd go [ up the ranks ] . Being out and trying to make it [ to the majors ] , I'd like to think that it'd be possible, but I have my doubts.'
Umpiring in 2007: He still umpires adult leagues and occasional college games.
