This experience convinced Augie, upon returning from captivity, to leave his job in the mine and to return to the world of baseball, if not as a player, as an umpire and his choice was also supported by Elmer Dayly, the then president of the Penn League, who advised him to attend in Cocoa Beach, Florida, the prestigious school for umpire founded by William Aloysius McGowan, recognized as enlightened match director for having continuously directed 2541 consecutive games.
So at the age of 29 Augie gets involved with seriousness, firmness and great will, scrupulously applying himself to the interpretative theory of the rules and to the practice of mechanics so as to be positively noticed by the professional umpire, and his future mentor, Al Somers who, together with McGowan , predicted that after four years, continuing his determination, he would arrive in the world of the Major League.
So it was because after his first contract with the Pioneer League for $ 150 a month, in the following year he was hired by the Sally League with $ 300 a month plus $ 6 for daily expenses. From then on he went to the International League for $ 600 until he was noticed by the famous Bill Klem and then called by Ford Frick, the president of the National League, to be hired in the Major League, after four years, it was 1950, with the starting salary. $ 5,500 plus $ 15 per day for free shipping charges.
Al Somers’ prediction had been successfully fulfilled. Since then, and for 24 years, Augie has been one of the most respected umpires in the Major League giving prestige to that segment of Italian American umpires such as Babe Pinelli, Art Passarella, Joe Paparella, Frank Dascoli, Augie Guglielmo, Joe Linsalata and Alex Salerno who through sport had faced and overcome the general perplexities and improved their socio-economic conditions.
