AUBURN – In 1979, when an Auburn Little League team made it to the Senior World Series playoffs in Gary, Ind., for the first time, Harold Lucas went along to broadcast color commentary to anxious fans back home.

Dennis Sweetser coached the team, which went on to claim third place. He says something Lucas told him afterward always stuck with him:

“He said to me, ‘I’m ready to die right now. This has been a thrill.'”

The coach, decades-long umpire, sports fan and family man died Thursday at age 80. He was remembered by friends Saturday as having a love of the game, a keen sense of humor and a gift for striking up a conversation.

“There were hundreds and hundreds of people in central Maine that were friends with Luke,” said Eugene Keene of Minot, who met Lucas in the early days of the Auburn Suburban Little League.

“He was one of those over and above individuals. Before you could ask him, he’d be on his way over to help. He was a super man.”

Lucas, a salesman before he retired, umpired games for Little League, high school, college and semi-pro baseball teams. Over a lengthy sports career he racked up numerous awards and accolades including Auburn citizen of the year.

“I knew when he showed up to umpire, it was going to be a good game. He wasn’t going to cheat you,” Sweetser said.

Keene remembered watching Lucas ump one game that Keene’s kids were in. A fan on the opposing team wouldn’t let up with the insults every time Lucas called against them.

“Luke was a joker. He took his officiating and his coaching very seriously, but at the same time, he had a wonderful sense of humor,” Keene said.

After yet another earful, “Finally, Luke took off his mask and his chest protector. He walked over and said to the guy, ‘If you’re doing such a good job calling balls and strikes, I’m going to give these to you.’

“It was the best thing I’ve seen done.”

Fans at the game loved it.

In recent years, Lucas had thrown himself into volunteering at Central Maine Medical Center – he logged nearly 8,000 hours, many as a greeter in the main entrance – and working Portland Seadogs games. He sold programs and helped out older fans.

“The ladies went down and he’d make sure they got the good seats,” said Earl Austin of Auburn.

Austin, an Edward Little alum like Lucas, said it was rare not to find him at an EL basketball game this time of year. He enjoyed baseball, football and basketball.

“Right now, Harold would be missing the state basketball tournament,” said Fred Gage, a longtime sports editor at the Sun Journal and an old friend of Lucas. “He never failed, as long as I knew him, to catch that tournament.”

Lucas lost his wife, Shirley, in 1997. The couple is survived by three children and three grandchildren.

“My heart goes out to his family. He’s an icon in Auburn. He’s part of the Auburn history of sports,” Keene said. “I’m honored to be able to speak about him.”