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Pre-game Rituals


Umpire_ar
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You'll get different answer from each person, and there are also tons of discussions on this, which may get you the answers you seek quicker.  Search this site for "pre-game" and you'll have no shortage of material.


So I looked and didn't really see a pre-game in regard to getting ready equipment wise.

I'm not really looking for anything in particular, just curious if anyone has anything they do.


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Well there are two parts for me.

Uniforms - make sure they are clean and pressed.  Patches are in good shape and there are no "Irish pennants".  Hats are clean (no sweat salt) and creased. Shoes. Clean with a shine.  No caked mud or thick layers of dust.  

Equipment, just a quick once over for the straps on the CP, shins and mask.  Also do a once over on the mask.  Would rather find the issue then, as opposed to when I take once in the face.

If I have taken a foul off of my mask during a game, I also make sure to take a quick look right then.  Hopefully I am working with a catcher (or at least a coach) who recognizes that the few extra minutes are appreciated.  That is followed by a more thorough review back at the car post-game.

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I've changed what I do over the years, used to drink a certain drink, eat something specific, listen to a certain song. 

 

Right now for a college game I'll eat a PB&J about 15 mins out from my arrival time which is about 1.5 hrs before first pitch. Do that because I'll usually have somewhere from 1hr-3hr drive and would have eaten before I left.  Want to have something to last duration of game.  

 

After that it's same deal for college and HS. About 45 mins out I drink a 5-hr and start drinking a bottle of water. Will get a bathroom trip in as well; 2-3 sometimes.  

I get dressed left to right (left leg, then right leg in pants etc.). This is a must, and even do it with regular clothes, not just a baseball thing. Plate gear goes on left to right; shoes, shins, chest, ball bags, in that order.  

If I'm in a locker room, I'm the last one to leave. National anthem I close my eyes at "oh say does that..." open eyes after last notes stops, put on my hat, tap my left shoe twice, and then 3 small claps, or taps on my right thigh with my right hand if I have my mask. 

Quirky enough? These are just habits/routines I've just done and stuck with over the many years of sports and now officiating. All are replaceable except the getting dressed Left to right. I've in the past accidentally done something right side first, and proceeded to take everything off and restart from scratch. 

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1 hour ago, Umpire_ar said:

 


So I looked and didn't really see a pre-game in regard to getting ready equipment wise.

I'm not really looking for anything in particular, just curious if anyone has anything they do.


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I've got nothing specific. I just make sure my gear is all packed and take some water.

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So here is my pre-game. Bag on my left. Towel/mat on the floor in front of the chair. Hang my CP next to me on the right, and set out my plate shoes. Give the plate shoes a once over with my rag (should already be clean). Take my work shoes off and step on the towel. Start dressing for the plate, battle shorts (nutty buddy compression), UA or shock dr tights depending on weather, over the knee socks. UA tshirt or cold gear depending again on weather. Plate pants, plate shoes ( move the mat to keep it clean), then my Shins. Cup. Then grab my belt and ball bags. Grab my Accessory box and get indicator and plate brush. Indicator goes in the left ball bag front pocket, brush in the right ball bag rear pocket. Next is the CP, then shirt. Tuck everything in and make sure everything is even. Line up card book and pen go in the pocket of hr shirt. Sunglasses if needed. Then grab my bucket. Check the snaps and straps, make sure it fits smoothly over my head. Then will do a circuit, Shins, cup, brush, indicator, mask. Ready to go bossman at that point.


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Once dressed, I make sure all of the guards are in place from top to bottom

Sun guard (hat)

Face Guard (mask)

Chest Guard (CP)

card guard (line up holder)

ball guard (bag)

'nard guard (cup)

Leg guard

foot guard (plate shoes)

water guard (cooler jug or squeeze bottle)

 

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10 hours ago, Umpire_ar said:

Why left to right? Left handed?


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Left to right, ...no not left handed, right handed.   Someone right handed will have better balance on their right foot, thus ....left foot first ;) 

No, I don't have a "method" to get dressed ...I just do it

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It could be that I just retain a lot of useless trivia...like...  Never odd or even........is spelled that same way backwards..........................or The "A" in Australia is pronounced 3 different ways 

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I'm not smart enough to remember all the pre-game habits I have unfortunately.  

 

There is one I do do prior to every game and that's a short prayer for myself, my partner(s) and the teams involved.

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I'm not smart enough to remember all the pre-game habits I have unfortunately.  
 
There is one I do do prior to every game and that's a short prayer for myself, my partner(s) and the teams involved.


Too many of us take that for granted. Thank you brother for your diligence.


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I put on my protective gear bottom to top. Not because it's a ritual, but because I find it works better (shin guards fit right if I put them on after the plate shoes, etc.).

Then, when I'm all done, I verify I've protected the five N's:

Nubs (plate shoes)

(K)Nees (shin guards)

Nuts (cup)

Nips (chest protector)

Nose (mask)

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Under garments

Pants

Shoes

shins

CP

shirt 

hat

(chant as I hit each spot) Shoes, shins, cup, CP. hat, mask. Close car. Lock doors. Put key in zippered pocket in ball bag.

Try not to suck.

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14 hours ago, Umpire_ar said:

Why left to right? Left handed?


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Left handed, but I honestly don't think that why.  I've always done left to right for as long as I can really remember, back to playing goalie in hockey in grade school and catcher in baseball. Also applies to getting dressed in regular clothes.  Only do 2 things right side first, putting in my contacts and cleaning my ears with Q-tips. 

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12 hours ago, KenBAZ said:

Anyone else "lace" their plate pants with their ball bags prior to pulling them on over their shoes and shins?

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You mean putting on your pants before lacing up your shoes and shins? :nod:

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No, jock, cup, shoes, shins, lace your belt through your ball bags then pull your pants over your shoes and shins. I also lay down my mat open my lucky Red Sox lawn chair, lay out all my gear and put my valet key into the drink holder on the chair.

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On 3/20/2017 at 3:48 AM, KenBAZ said:

Anyone else "lace" their plate pants with their ball bags prior to pulling them on over their shoes and shins?

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Guilty here too!  I hate trying to fix it after the CP is on, too bulky to do finite movements like that. LOL

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