***UPDATE ***

Thanks to the support of so many of you, the memorial to Ray Kietrys at Tannery Field has become a reality. The monument has officially been installed, and a bench and surrounding landscaping will soon follow.

The Ray Kietrys Memorial Committee is planning a dedication ceremony during the Softball League’s Opening Day next spring to celebrate Ray’s memory with friends, family, and anyone who shared the field with him. While we don’t have an exact date yet, we hope you will join us in early May 2026 for the dedication. More details to come in the spring.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated and helped make this memorial possible. We look forward to seeing you at the dedication ceremony in the spring!

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Ray Kietrys was the “house umpire” for the Hackettstown Men’s Softball League, umpiring 3 games per night, 5 nights per week at the Tannery Field for more than 20 years. He was known not only for his trained eye, fair calls, and authority behind the plate, but also for his camaraderie among all of the players.

Ray was a professionally trained umpire. He attended the Major League Umpire Development School in Florida and went on to work in professional baseball in the New York/PENN minor leagues. He always had a command of the game and very few disputed calls. He truly loved his time spent at the Tannery all those years and always spoke of it with great fondness.

As many of you know, Ray passed away in November of 2021. In recognition of his outstanding umpire career, the Ray Kietrys Memorial Committee was founded and is raising funds to install a granite monument and a bench at the Tannery Field in Hackettstown. Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated and will help tremendously. Even just sharing this with others will mean so much.

On behalf of the Committee and Ray’s friends and family, thank you very much for supporting this worthwhile cause honoring one of Hackettstown’s greats.