mhb14

I normally wouldn't let the coaches make decisions about anything like that but it was fall ball and in our association, fall ball is not taken very serious and the coach kind of agree on the rules on a game by game basis. It was out of my hands.

I had a 13 year old non-select CRAP Ball game two years ago. In the TOP of the 1st I left a balk go for the pitcher slightly turning his shoulder when looking at first. The runner was standing on the bag, there was no reason to call it. Well, the third base coach started going crazy about that being a balk. He called time and came out wanting the balk call. Now we had discussed in ground rules that we were not going to call ever balk we saw. The coaches actually asked for that. Well now the coach thinks that it would be better for me to call every balk I see. I pull both coaches together and they now agree that they want me to call every balk I see. I tried to explain to them that there were going to be a lot of balks if I did this. They said that they had taught there kids the correct way to pitch and that they would be surprised if I was about to call 5 balks. Since we technically should have been calling all the balks anyways, I agree. So there aren't any in the TOP of the first since there was only one more pitch thrown that inning. In the bottom of the 1st, the first batter singles. Then the pitcher does not come set on the next two pitches and the runner is on third. The same coach who wanted balks is going nuts that I am making up balks. I can promise you, I wasn't. Then, the unthinkable happens, the kids is on the rubber and he drops the ball with a runner on third. Both the PU and myself called it right away and the runner scored. Well, the head coach of the home team was ejected about 10 seconds later. (He would later come back an appolgize but I'll get into that later). I ended up calling around 45 balks in 4 innings. I let at least 20 more go. I wasn't trying to be a jerk (I'm sure it looked that way) but this was with me even trying to just call the obvious ones and leaving the others alone. One pitcher did not come set on 10 straight pitches. Even with me warning him that I was going to balk him, he wouldn't come set. It was horrible. After the game, the HC I dumped came up and appolgized. He had read the rulebook and every balk I called was right. He shook my hand and that was the end of that.

Hey, it was either that or forfeit the game. I figured I would give it a try and if it didn't work, I could forfeit the game. Luckly, I have a coach that was 100% backing me up and yelling at his parents more than I was. I wouldn't do that today but the 18 year old me, had no fear.

I ran into a big problem with this dual role thing a couple of years ago. I was managing a 8th grade boys game. Not TOP level but pretty good. The umpires in this game were having a tough time. I did a good job of keeping my mouth shut until.... My team was in the field with two outs. We have a one run lead. Runners on 1st and 3rd. R1 takes off with the pitch. Batter hits a ground ball up the middle. Easy third out right? Well, the runner kicks (not accidentially) my fielders glove and the ball rolls into the outfield. No call. I call time, come out and ask the umpire if he saw the runner kick the glove. His response, "Yes but there is nothing wrong with that, the fielder has to get out of the way of the runner." I was taken a little aback by that because I had never heard anything so stupid in my life. I look at him and asked him, "Are you sure?" His response, "Yeah, I've been playing baseball my entire life and I know the rules" Here is the rest of the conversation: Me: Are you sure? Ump: About what? Me: That you know the rules? Ump: Like I said, I have played baseball my entire life" Me: So, your telling me that the fielder doesn't have the right to field that ball when it's hit to him and the ball takes him to the baseline? Ump: I'm not going to do this all day, if you aren't going to take the time to learn the rules, I suggest you stop coaching because you are doing the players a disservice. (Well at this point, I am pissed) Me: I would like to protest the game. Here is my $50. (At this point I turn around, stop, grab a rule book out of my back pocket, turn back around and throw it at his feet) You really might want to read this someday. Having a clue is the first step to being a good umpire. I turned around to walk away. Obviously I was thrown out before I entered the dugout. Now, I'm not proud of what I did but if there is one thing I can't stand is umpires with attitudes who have no clue what the rules are. I can handle umpires with attitudes but you add in the fact that they don't know anything about the game...that upsets me. I actually won the protest though...so that was nice.

That might be one of the funniest F&^king things I have ever read!!!

Sadly enough, this story is 16 years old but I still love it. I was 18 and working a Boys 14 game. I was in the field. The plate umpire had been taking a lot of crap from the fans all game but he was usually pretty good about tuning that stuff out so it hadn't caused a problem. Anyways, in the 5th inning, he struck out a kid looking. It was boarder line but had been a strike all day long. The fans went nuts and the coach came out to talk to him. Yes I know the coach should have been ejected for doing it but he wasn't. Well, while my plate umpire was talking to the coach, an old woman (the kids grandma) came walking on the field. She walked up to my partner and started yelling at him for striking her grandson out. At first, my partner was shocked. Hell, I was enough laughing as I was walking in to break everything up. Well, she look at him him and told him that he was terrible. I guess that he had heard enough because he threw her out of the ballpark. At that point, control was lost. The fans went nuts. A cup landed on the field. Followed by another parent running on the field. I headed him off and got him back to the bleachers. At that point we thought we might have to forfeit the game but neither of us wanted to write up that report so I decided to try something. I walked in front of the bleachers and yelled "Your outta here". Everyone got quiet for about 10 seconds and started looking around to figure out who I was talking to. Then someone yell "Who?' I said back "All of you. You don't have to leave the park but you all have to leave the field. You can go behind the outfield fence and watch the rest of the game." At that point some of the fans started to protest while I told that coach, "Let them know that there choices are to go behind the fence or tell there kids that they lost they game because of them" When he told them that, the fans all headed out like I had asked. To this day, I still have people that remember that game and mention it to me when they see me and to this day I have never seen anything like it.

Hey everyone, It's been a while since I was on this site. I have been umpiring since I was 12 years old. Around the age of 17 I realized just how much I liked it and started getting serious about it. I took over the umpires at my local association at 19. I have attended the Wendelstedt Umpire School twice. I primarily work little league now but in the past I have worked high school and college games. I also lived the dream and got to work a few games in the Frontier League a couple of years ago. Kids and work have gotten in the way of umpiring over the past couple of summers but this year I plan on being at the fields a lot more. I also hope to be a lot more active in this site as well. I look forward to getting to know all of you. If you have a minute, check out my umpire blog at http://umpire14.blogspot.com/ Mark

Hey guys, My name is Mark. New to the site. I have been umpiring since I was 12 years old. Started getting serious about it when I was 17 or so. Took over the umpires at my local association at 19. Attending Wendelstedt in 2001 and 2002. Since then I have worked just about every level of ball there is. I had the greatest honor last year when I got to work my first pro games with the Frontier League. I still primarily to little league but get into high school and college from time to time. I look forward to getting to know you. If you have the time, check out my umpire blog at http://umpire14.blogspot.com/ Thanks.