Osvaldo ‘Ossie’ Chavarria went from winning the best utility player for the AAA Pacific Coast League Vancouver Mounties to umpiring the bronze-medal match at the Barcelona Olympics. The longtime Burnaby resident played minor ball from 1959 into the ’70s before taking up coaching at the minor and national team levels.
Chavarria started umpiring in 1979 and continued to find time behind the plate in the NAIA league, at national-level championships and in the Summer Games. Chavarria umpired internationally at the Olympics, world championships, Pan Am Games and Intercontinental Cup.
