The Petaluma youth baseball community will gather this Friday evening at Murphy Field to honor the life of longtime umpire and team sponsor Donny Armstrong, who passed away in January at age 74.
According to the Petaluma Argus-Courier, Armstrong, a Vietnam veteran, spent decades volunteering across all three of the city’s Little League divisions and was known for umpiring up to six days a week.
Even after he stepped back from calling balls and strikes, local officials say he visited the fields daily just to clean up trash and watch the kids play. A die-hard fan, he frequently sponsored local teams affectionately known as “Donny’s Dodgers” and loved playfully teasing young Bay Area players about their rival teams.
Organizers are inviting attendees to wear their old league jerseys to the 5:15 p.m. tribute, which will be followed by a special showcase game.