Courtesy: The Valley http://www.mvc-sports.com/

Lenny Brickens, who served as the Missouri Valley Conference's Baseball Coordinator of Umpires since 2006, passed away on October 30, 2009. 

Brickens began Umpires for Youth in 1971 and took over the Indianapolis Umpires Association (IUA) in 1973.  He recruited, trained and scheduled umpires in central Indiana throughout all of those years.  During his 40 year career, Lenny umpired all levels of baseball and had several appearances in NAIA World Series competitions, NCAA Division 1 Tournament, Division II and III College World Series, Missouri Valley Championship Series, and the Big Ten for many years.  Lenny also represented the United States as an umpire at the Pan Am Games in Indianapolis, the Junior World Championships in Moncton, Canada, the European Olympic Championships in the Netherlands, and the World Baseball Championships in Taipai. 

He was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, the IHSAA, Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance, Amateur Baseball Umpires Association, Indiana Officials Association and The Fall Creek Officials Association.  He organized a contingent of umpires to work pre-season collegiate baseball in Florida. 

Because of his dedication and perseverance, Lenny built one of the most respected and unique umpire organizations in the United States.  He also can be credited with helping Central Indiana high schools to better their baseball programs by organizing and running a summer baseball program.  To help supplement team costs for this summer program, Lenny organized and ran an annual Monte Carlo charity night in Indianapolis for many years.

For the past 15 plus years, Lenny raised thousands of dollars within his IUA organization which was either given to specific charities or to families who had suffered losses of loved ones who were members of the IUA.

Lenny is survived by his wife, Theresa Donahue Brickens, daughter Anissa Borden; sister, Stella Benefiel; granddaughter, Cayleigh Donahue.