RAPID CITY - Dan Gettert has the same excitement as the baseball players who will be heading to Williamsport, Pa. in a couple of weeks. Only Gettert isn't going to be playing in the Little League World Series, he will be behind the plate with the best view of America's pastime.to all the others from all around the country," Gettert said. "They sent us our uniforms to make sure they fit, and now I just have to make sure to pack it."

Gettert, 56, has been an umpire in Rapid City for nearly 25 years. After working at every local level and making two trips to the Little League Central Regional in Indianapolis, he is going to the big stage, and he couldn't be more excited about it.

"I found out two or three weeks before Christmas, so I considered that my early Christmas present because I never thought someone from South Dakota would get picked," Gettert said.

Gettert, who is a bricklayer when he is not behind the plate, said he has only heard of one other South Dakotan who has been chosen to umpire at the Little League World Series.

The process of selecting umpires can get pretty political, but his persistence and ability to do the job at a high level paid off.

"I just figured I would never make it, but I am really glad that I did," said Gettert, who first put his name in to the selection process in 2000. "I've watched it for a long time on TV and always thought it would be great to do the World Series."

Gettert leaves for Williamsport on Aug. 12 and will be there for the duration of the World Series which runs from Aug. 15 through Aug. 24. He will work a minimum of six games and will get a chance to be at each position around the diamond.

He is just one of 16 umpires selected to work the games, and while he doesn't know any of the others personally he has had a chance to e-mail with them.

"One of the guys I will be there with is from Guam and I think there is one other guy from another country in addition

To be able to work the World Series an umpire first has to work a regional, which is something Gettert has done twice. He counts both trips to Indianapolis, Ind. for the Central Regional as great learning experiences.

Gettert's experience in the regional games has helped him prepare for the big crowds - and daily television coverage on ESPN - that await him in Williamsport.

"When it first gets started it is exciting and then each one of those games is just a little more intense than the games here because the competition level picks up when you get out there," he said. "When you get the championships (at the regionals) it is a bit bigger stadiums than we are used to here and it gets loud.

"I worked the Great Lakes championship last year and I had first base, and I had to make a call on the runner at first base that went against the Indiana team. It was loud, it was so loud I couldn't hear myself say out. They obviously disagreed but ESPN came back from a break and showed the replay which showed I was right."

He hasn't had too many irate fans to deal with because his calls are usually right on. During his regional trips he was graded and received high marks for his performance.

The longtime Rapid City resident is no stranger to the big games having worked district Little League baseball games for over 20 years.

"A couple of people told me it just wouldn't seem right if you weren't there," Gettert said. "I have really used this year as my practice to get ready so I haven't worked any Legion games."

In addition to umpiring youth league games, he also does high school, Legion and Black Hills Amateur League games. It is something he has come to truly enjoy even if it did start out as just another way to get involved with what his kids were doing over the years.

"I started with my daughter when she got into softball and then as my son came along I started doing both," Gettert said. "Once they moved on I just stayed with baseball. When my kids got done, I kept umpping because I always felt there would be one lucky parent who wouldn't get dragged out of the stands because I was there."

Once he gets to Williamsport, Gettert doesn't plan on leaving the fields too often. When he isn't working he hopes to watch as many games as possible, and if he could find a way to make it up to the broadcast booth and meet Orel Hershiser that would be OK, too.

But don't expect a chance to call the shots on a bigger stage to change Gettert.

"I am just going to keep on doing what I do," he said. "I'll come back next year and do Pony League, Little League and hopefully a little more Legion," he said.