When Marcus Pattillo started umpiring, it was simply for those extra few dollars that all teenagers want to have during the summer break.
At the time, Pattillo didn't realize it was going to some day become a part of his life's work.
"I don't remember the year, but it was for the Park Department there (in Poplar Bluff)," Pattillo said of how he got his start in calling baseball games. "At the time when I umpiring then, it was to have a little bit of money in the summer time. I was still playing baseball then. I had aspirations to make it as a player."
Pattillo made it to the big leagues this week.
The Poplar Bluff native -- who is married to Kennett native Keisha Hamlett -- was a part of the four-man crew that presided over a series between the Colorado Rockies and the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego.
"It's come full circle now from where I started and where I came from," Pattillo said in a phone interview Thursday prior to the finale of the series. "To be here now, it's a great feeling of accomplishment."
Pattillo joined a crew featuring veterans Laz Diaz, Scott Nelson and Scott Berry after injuries to umpires shuffled the regular MLB rotation.
"One of the guys (I replaced) that was on this crew switched to another crew to fill in," Pattillo said.
Pattillo will be with this crew for the time being as he umpired the Los Angeles-Arizona series this weekend at Dodger Stadium.
He said he will then travel to Seattle and Safeco Field for a three-game series with the Mariners and the Houston Astros. After a day off, his next stop will be AT&T Park in San Francisco for a three-game series with the Giants and the Cleveland Indians this coming Friday through Sunday.
Pattillo started out umpiring at second base Monday night in San Diego.
"It was awesome," Pattillo said. "To be out there was unbelievable. Once the game started going, it was just as usual baseball. You block out everything that is going on and continue doing what I've been doing for the last few years working."
Something Pattillo said he wouldn't forget is just that first moment of making it to the big leagues.
"Just stepping out on the field really," Pattillo said.
After a stint at first base Tuesday, Pattillo was the home plate umpire in Wednesday's pitcher's duel between the Padres' Andrew Cashner and Colorado veteran Jorge De La Rosa.
Colorado's Justin Morneau and San Diego's Tommy Medica each hit solo homers in the second inning.
Pattillo admitted a little bit of nervous energy near the start, but he calmed down.
"I kind of had the same mindset as the first night," Pattillo said. "I'm trying to block everything out
and go out to the game like I always do. It was hard to do. The first inning-and-a-half, I could tell I was a little tense. Once I got going there, everything was the same."
The 4-2 win for the Padres went pretty smoothly without any incidents or use of the new MLB replay system.
"That was a good thing to have was a smooth game," Pattillo said. "You always want to have a smooth game. Sometimes it's not going to happen."
Pattillo ended the series covering third base in Thursday's finale.
Jumping from Triple-A to the majors, Pattillo didn't really notice much change in how the game is played.
"It is a little bit faster," Pattillo said. "There's not a whole lot of difference I don't think. Pitching is going to be a little bit better. Things are going happen a little bit quicker but for the most part there isn't much difference. The talent-level is good at most levels."
Pattillo's wife and young son Ketcher were able to visit San Diego and watch the first three games of the series. The family currently resides in Jonesboro.
"Having them here with me, it was awesome," Pattillo said. "It was a good experience."
Pattillo has also received calls and support from other family and friends in Poplar Bluff.
"The text messages I've received have been really good," Pattillo said.
Pattillo is the son of Cynthia Pattillo and the late Three Rivers College baseball coach Roger Pattillo. He is the younger brother of John David Pattillo, who guided the Poplar Bluff Mules boys basketball team to state titles in 2004 and 2005.
Growing up in Poplar Bluff, playing baseball was Marcus' first passion. Pattillo played for the Mules before graduating in 1996 and the Raiders before finishing his collegiate career and education at Williams Baptist in Arkansas.
After an attempt to play professionally, Pattillo briefly dabbled in coaching before settling in Jonesboro (Ark.) to sell insurance. It was there that Pattillo started umpiring small college and high school games. He and a friend's interest peaked after going to a clinic to learn more.
In order to reach the majors, it takes about a year's worth of clinics and schooling. If an umpire grades out well in school, they get elevated to work minor league games.
Pattillo's minor league career started in rookie ball in the Gulf Coast League in 2008. By 2012, he worked his way to Triple-A and the International League. Since the start of the 2013 season, Pattillo switched to the Pacific Coast League (also Triple-A), which includes the Memphis Redbirds.
Pattillo worked some major league spring training games in March and got an unexpected call about two weeks ago.
"I was in Des Moines, Iowa," Pattillo said. "The league office called me and was just asking how things were going. They told me they were going to do some changing around with my schedule. They ended up telling me I'd be coming to San Diego and staying with this crew for a few weeks.
"It took me by surprise."