Umpire Inspires With Big Heart And Artificial Foot

(Little League Umpire Cinco Inzunza rocks his new foot. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

Last year, in Let’s Meet District 42’s Men In Blue, CaliSports News spotlighted several Little League umpires. However, that article neglected to mention one of California District 42’s umps who inspires with his unique story. Now, the time has arrived for CSN to introduce that very special figure who stands behind home plate. You see, to their surprise, some players made a startling discovery while batting during that district’s all-star tournaments held in recent years. Those batters discovered that their umpire calling balls and strikes stood on a prosthetic foot.

That umpire’s name is Cinco Inzunza. With his artificial right foot, Inzunza stands as a pillar of South San Diego’s Luckie Waller Little League. He serves as that league’s president, and volunteers as one of its umpires. Inzunza has worked behind Luckie Waller’s home plate for several years, but the past three he did so after doctors amputated one of Cinco’s feet. Losing a limb failed to keep the umpire away from the sport he loves. In fact, Inzunza returned to his position behind home plate less than four months after undergoing the amputation. Amazing!

Setting an example for others to follow.

Surgeons removed Cinco’s foot in January 2018. Two months later, he started walking with a prosthetic foot. By April of that year, Inzunza resumed his duties as league president. And, in May 2018, he walked in umpire gear onto a field. Inzunza recently sat down with a CaliSports News writer at the Santa Monica Pier, where Cinco explained his fast return to Little League.

“I had to do it,” Inzunza told CSN. “It was for the kids. I’m president. I must lead by example.”

And what an example he set. One Luckie Waller umpire whom Men In Blue featured is Frank Ramírez. That ump told CSN that Inzunza’s “resolve to remain the president, and then to umpire with a prosthetic foot was one of the most impressive acts of strength I’ve ever seen anyone do.”

Ramírez is far from finding himself alone. In How Sweet It Is For Sweetwater Valley !!, CaliSports News quoted Mike Gage. He serves as one of Luckie Waller’s vice presidents, and as a coach. Gage offered only praise when he described Inzuna’s impact upon their league’s community.

Dedicated volunteer and leader.

“Earlier this year, we had our field prep day. Cinco was with us shoveling dirt,” Gage told CSN. “He never complained. He is a great example for our kids of perseverance and commitment, and he is an example for the other parent volunteers to follow. It’s hard to complain and pull out of volunteering, when he is out there on the field every day, making baseball possible for our kids.”

Let that sink in. District 42’s director of umpires agreed. Readers should remember Steve Loa whom CaliSports News featured last month in Luckie Waller’s Female Star Continues To Shine.

“I’ll take the field with Cinco any day of the week, in any division, behind the plate or on the bases,” Loa told CSN. “Many would say the same. I just wish more people that had two good legs would step up and do as good as someone with only one good leg.” Powerful statement.

How it happened.

One good leg. Yeah. Actually, Inzunza enjoyed two perfectly good legs until something terrible happened literally overnight in December 2017. That was when Cinco’s foot contracted a deadly flesh-eating bacteria called necrotizing fasciitis. That disease moved rapidly. Within hours, Inzunza’s foot ballooned to three times its normal size. The volunteer umpire experienced flu symptoms and lost his appetite. He went to a hospital. There, doctors told Cinco that he might not survive. He immediately underwent his first of 12 surgeries conducted over the next few weeks. Doctors tried desperately to save Inzunza’s foot. But, sadly, they were not successful.

Finally, doctors advised the umpire to end his suffering, and to prevent the disease from spreading, by getting the damaged foot removed. The patient agreed. The following day, Inzunza’s foot got amputated. Two days later, he left the hospital. Cinco then began his road to recovery. Thankfully, he remained symptom-free ever since. He credits his family, Little Leaguers, and his entire “baseball family”, for helping to motivate Inzunza during his recovery.

“They got me through it,” Cinco said, recalling events. “I had to do whatever it took to stay alive. I want to see my kids grow older, and graduate from school. And, I want to be a grandfather.”

A baseball family.

Speaking of family, baseball serves as a tradition passed down from one generation of Inzunzas to the next. As a child, Cinco lived in South San Diego, and followed in his father’s footsteps by playing at Luckie Waller. Today, Cinco’s own children represent the third generation of Inzunzas to join that league. But, wait. There is more. Cinco played on the junior varsity baseball team for Otay Mesa’s Montgomery High School Aztecs. Now, his son currently plays for Montgomery.

Actually, the Aztecs’ Christian Paruginog is technically Inzunza’s stepson. However, the umpire told CaliSports News, “I have raised him since he was born, so I don’t call him my stepson. I call him my son.” Just like Cinco, Christian played on the JV squad for the past two seasons. The young ballplayer hopes to join the Aztecs’ varsity team in this, his junior year of high school.

Baseball in his veins.

Inzunza proved one thing for certain. That ump has baseball in his blood. And, on his arm. He even rocks a tattoo of a baseball on his arm. That tattoo showcases the names of Cinco’s three kids. Yes, one of them is named Seis. For Inzunza, baseball and family are almost inseparable. Inzunza’s love for both motivated the amputee to get back onto the baseball diamond. The umpire’s recovery and return to Little League impressed his colleagues. Here is what Loa said:

“The fact that he had to be amputated doesn’t discourage him from getting on the field. Just because he can’t get around as fast as others, it doesn’t stop him from doing what he loves.”

Gage shared the following story: “I first met Cinco right after his surgery. I found the league’s info online, and texted him to find out when I could meet up to get my son registered. At the time, I had no idea, but Cinco actually responded to me while he was still in the hospital! As soon as he got out of the hospital, he came to the fields in a wheelchair. That was before Cinco got his leg fitted. I was immediately amazed by Cinco’s commitment to the league and to our kids. There has never been any doubt that Cinco loves this league, and he loves umpiring for our kids.”

Never complains.

One thing everyone quoted in this article told CaliSports News is that Inzunza never complained.

“It isn’t easy for him,” Gage said. “It is painful and tiring for him to bend down behind the catcher, and call pitches. But, he has never complained one time, because he loves it. Umpiring is not easy. It takes a toll on your body. A lot of volunteers would have used that as an excuse to get out of umpiring, but not Cinco. He missed being on the field with the kids, and got back out there as soon as he could. After his leg had been fitted, he returned that season behind the plate.”

Ramírez provided the following similar account: “In the episode in which Cinco lost his foot, at no time did he complain about it. It didn’t change his dedication to the league and to the kids. Cinco literally treated it as a minor inconvenience. Anyone who selflessly donates as much time to the success of one entity that Cinco does is truly a good person. So, I think he genuinely is.”

Umpire with a big heart and a bum leg.

Loa summed it up best. “For Cinco,” Loa said, “all it takes is one good leg and a lot of heart.”

Inzunza approaches his completion of three years since losing a limb. His recovery impressed this recent observer. The amputee arrived for our interview in Santa Monica after driving a vehicle from San Diego. Yes, he drove. Cinco operated the gas pedal with his prosthetic foot.

As for why he missed last year’s CaliSports News press conference with District 42’s umpires, Inzunza explained. As mentioned in Luckie Waller’s Female Star, a room was reserved for CSN’s event “to be held that coming Sunday.” Well, Cinco is not available to the press on Sundays. Those days serve as Inzunza’s time off from work and baseball. The volunteer umpire spends Sundays relaxing, and during them, he even removes his foot. The artificial one, that is.

My two shekels.

My turn. I must add my own two shekels. Last year, when I wrote an article featuring Diego Falomir, Inzunza served as the District 42 tournament’s official scorer. I checked in with Cinco after each of Falomir’s games to obtain their box scores, as I wanted that player’s statistics. Cinco not only responded immediately to me each time with Falomir’s stats, but that tournament official even went beyond any imaginable letter of the law for CaliSports News. I shall explain.

During one game, Cinco and I stood together beyond the fence behind home plate at Chula Vista American Little League in Chula Vista. He said that he needed to retrieve Falomir’s stats for me. Inzunza kept an official score sheet at Chula Vista American in an office up a flight of stairs. I could not let him climb those stairs. I could not let an amputee do that for me. So, I said I would gladly get the book myself. But, Cinco absolutely insisted that he must do that, as part of his job. I felt so bad watching him slowly climb up those stairs. My heart went out for him. What dedication and self-sacrifice! He inspired me. On that day, I decided to write this feature story.

I agree with what Loa later shared with me. “Cinco’s a classy guy with an open mind and big heart” Loa said. “He loves the game, and is always willing to put himself out there to help out.”

And those are my two shekels. I hope you enjoyed CaliSports News’ latest article, and I pray that I did for it the justice that I determined on that day last year that Cinco’s story deserves. Amen.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Finally, CaliSports News thanks District 42’s dedicated photographer Jon Bigornia for arranging and conducting a special photo shoot expressly for this article. And, CSN thanks Christian and Seis. Cinco’s boys went beyond the call of duty by dressing up in their Montgomery and Little League uniforms, and then posed with their father for Bigornia’s action shots. CSN’s original plan called for photographing the umpire during a game scheduled to be held at Luckie Waller. Sadly, that plan ended after Little League officials postponed, and later cancelled, this past season.

Changing the topic, CSN again thanks everyone that shares our articles. Teamwork makes the dream work. On that note, CSN thanks Chula Vista’s Park View Little League, and District 42, for sharing last week’s Junior League’s Rosters Feature Familiar Names on Facebook. And with that, we conclude my eighth straight weekly article covering Little League. Hopefully, more stories will follow. You do not want to miss those. Stay tuned !! Although, after getting buried by a series of recent and current Jewish holidays, we shall soon learn if Rabbi Rabbs can maintain the weekly pace. Until then, Go Cinco, Christian, Seis, and Sebastian !! Let’s Go SoCal !!

Stay with CaliSportsNews.com, Southern California’s undisputed leader in Little League coverage, as we keep you up-to-date on all things SoCal sports! All Cali, All the time!

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