Savage wore many hats, he will be missed

Life has a way of humbling you.

The community of Napa, CA, lost a tremendous asset on Sunday when news travelled at the speed of light on both social and traditional media when learning that Tom Savage suddenly passed away while on vacation.

Savage’s rosary will be held Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at St. Apollinaris Church. The funeral mass will be at the same location on Friday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.

Savage, 74, was a man for all seasons both personally and professionally. For over four decades, Savage wore many hats: teacher at Redwood Middle School, coach and referee. He had a tremendous love for family, sports and God but not necessarily in that order. Savage also had a witty sense of humor.

Just slightly over two years ago, Michele, who was Tom’s wife of 47 years, passed away. Both had active roles of volunteerism at St. Apollinaris school and parish that continued long after their children were out of the school. That quality speaks volumes because most people in a similar situation would not be so giving after their kids are gone. I don’t begrudge such people, I simply celebrate that the Savages continued their active volunteerism..

Savage’s passing hits home for me for multiple reasons. Since I grew up with his kids (Brian, Dennis, Nicole and Michael) and three of his nieces (Shannon, Megan and Maureen) at both St. Apollinaris and later Justin-Siena High, I got to know the Savage family well.

If there ever was an example of someone putting other people’s needs ahead of their own, it was Tom and Michele Savage. Because of my previous career as a sports reporter, I got to know Mr. Savage on a much different level. Before then, I mainly knew him as the father of Brian, Dennis, Nicole and Michael along with the uncle of Shannon, Megan and Maureen. Though I competed in athletics, I never had him as a teacher or coach so I can’t speak for what he was like in those roles. However, most everyone I talked to, spoke of him in glowing terms.

Then I’d see him often as a referee. Before too long, I didn’t just know him as the referee of today’s (insert teams) game.

I remember one stage of my career as a sports reporter, early 2000s. It was spring sports season. Mr. Savage had umpired about six consecutive games I was covering. So I  jabbed him, “What is this? You probably look at my schedule and ask, ‘Which games is Vince covering?” Without skipping a beat, Mr. Savage followed by saying, “I’m following you around.” So we both chuckled. In recent years, we occasionally crossed paths while shopping or at mass.

As a referee, he worked games in the Monticello Empire League, Marin County Athletic League, North Bay League, Sonoma County and North Central League games before retiring in 2013. As an Upvalley sports reporter, I also remember him officiating many Carpy Gang and Calistoga Cubs youth football games.

After moving back to the Napa Valley and becoming a sports reporter, I covered many games that he has officiated. In the process, I feel like I got to know him even more than when I was a kid growing up with his son and niece, Dennis and Shannon, as my classmate.

I enjoyed talking to him before and after games. The conversations ranged from sports to politics to family and me saying things like, “Take care, keep Brian and Dennis out of trouble.” Suffice it to say, the conversations took a few off ramps.

Since I knew him, he was probably the only referee I felt comfortable enough exchanging humor with during the game. One time during a Carpy Gang-Cubs youth football game, he called a false start, so I asked, “Is that false start or traveling?”

He quipped: “Depends on the sport.”

I would have to look long and hard to find a referee who struck a balance by being “in control of the game” but not “controlling the game.” That quality is hard to find because during games, emotions run high. You make a call, one side loves you, and the other side scorns you.

The best example I can give of Savage handling a volatile situation was the East-West All-Star football game one year in 2008.

Three players (two from Hogan and another from Benicia) from the West’s defense were ejected on the same possession. The ejected players acted so infantile that they threw helmets. In fact, one left the stadium entirely.

There were late hits, profanity and unsportsmanlike penalties that resulted in more flags than a Fourth of July parade — only these flags were yellow as opposed to red, white and blue.

The game got so hostile in that Savage had to meet with both coaches, David Fishleigh of the East and Richard Eaton of the West, to try and calm both sides down. Seeing Savage in this situation was like watching the calm in the eye of the storm.

Savage was probably one of the most fair-minded officials I’ve ever met in that he handles emotional situations between players and coaches as well as anyone — if not better.

Some officials are so short-fused that their desire to take control becomes bigger than the game itself. So, when things are so bad that a game that involves Savage comes close to getting called entirely, well, it must be bad.

Savage’s son, Dennis, has also gotten involved as a referee. I have only covered one game that Dennis has officiated (between American Canyon and Pittsburg), but in that game I saw of the elder Savage in the younger one. He was “in control of the game” but not “controlling the game.”

That version of Mr. Savage was how he lived his life. Whether, I was a first grader at St. A’s or a sports reporter, I saw a man that never got too high when life was good but never got too low when life was not so good.

The next high school sporting event I attend either as a freelance writer or fan, I have no doubt Savage will be smiling from heaven.

I say this often when a friend passes away, “Mr. Savage, I’m in no hurry to get where you are going but I know we will meet again some day.”