dmdhiker

I am starting the basketball hs licensing thing, clinic in Nov as well as the test portion. First year ump and now first year bball ref.

With the rain yesterday, games got shuffled and I am doing Santo Domingo vs W. Bloomfield, MI, on Sporel Park today at 11am. Should be some good baseball. Then back to the Swamp. As a rookie I try not to correct the vets, but JM there are 500+ umps in our association.

Great updates UmpJM. I too am working the same tourney. Being a rookie, it is an honor to be asked to work these games. Did 6 games last weekend, 3 DHs. Hung out each day before and after at the Swamp. What a great bunch of guys, very enjoyable spending time with such experienced umps. Seems that everyone goes out of there way to help a new guy. Learned so much about 2-man mechanics. Have a game tomorrow then back to the Swamp and will be there Sunday also to support a great crew of umpires. See you in the next couple of days JM.

In the some HS games I work, it seems okay to have a small cooler on the field, against the fence, near the on deck circle. During a plate conference, HC mentioned a hole under the backstop, said this is where the umps usually puts their cooler so as to block the hole.

Name of a equipment maker/seller. I have a "smitty" shirt.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=23042581&topic_id=&c_id=sd&tcid=vpp_copy_23042581&v=3

Hey JM, I saw about half of each of the games that started at 6pm. Stood by the BUs so I'm sure we met in a way. Look forward to meeting you again tomorrow. Michael

Must have done something right this year as I am one of a dozen or so invited to our associations clinic for on field instructions on 2-man mechanics. Went to last weeks clinic to observe and will be doing the bases at the clinic this Tuesday.

Can't agree more with what CS-Blue states above. You do see a lot of pitches, all of them in fact, compared to half as many with 2-man. Trial by fire for sure. Made me extra vigilant with knowing the rules as there is no one to go to with questions, so you better know wtf you are doing. Kept a journal of every game, noting rules to review, getting better position, etc. I must admit that going out and nailing a solo game feels great, something about standing on your own is empowering. At 50 my goal is to ump HS ball, not little league games or youth travel games, so this is how it is done in Illinois. In all my games this season there may have been no more than a handful of close calls that would have benefitted from a BU viewpoint. Doesn't seem like 2-man is that advantageous for lower level games. Believe me I don't want to take an opportunity away from a fellow ump to do as many games as they wish, but the cost to schools to have 2-man for all games seems excessive as a tax-payer. Just my very green opinion.

Did my first 2-man game today. Me and another ump had the same solo soph game on our schedule so instead of flipping a coin we both worked the game. Told the other ump that I've never worked with a partner, a I only having plate gear, so I took the plate. He is an experienced varsity ump. Had just a minute to go over basic rotations and signals and we had to hit the field. We talked between most inning, getting instruction, etc. He started the game giving the signals between us and by the end of the game, I as UIC, was giving signals between us. Uneventful game, learned much in one game on 2-man mechanics. Didn't seem as complicated as I thought. Have a few clinics coming up for greenish guys to instruct on 2 and 3 man. Good day, got that 2-man monkey off my back.

Thanks for all the one man comments, but hey, I work in the state I live. Didn't choose this path. Should I not ump because of the state I live in? Bold statement to say that I learned "nothing but bad habits". How do you know what I know and what habits you say all one man umps develop. Kind of painting with a rather broad brush. Thanks for the encouraging words. NOT.

Hey all, started umping this year after being out of the game for some 30+ years. Jumped in with both feet. Did 32 HS games this spring. All one-man. Twelve freshman A games, 9 freshman B games, 11 sophomore games. Seven DHs. Have done 9 HS games this summer, 4 of these were varsity games, all solo. Don't recommend this rookie path for the faint of heart. Was challenging and nerve wracking at times but had a blast. A lot more good days than bad. Learned a ton, with lots more to learn. Have to learn 2-man mechanics now if I want to do some varsity games next year. Its great being Blue.

Humid 95 HS 5:30hr DH today and didn't break a sweat. :smachhead:

I too completed my first year. Thirty-one freshman A and B games with a handful of sophomore games. All solo. Very interesting year, learned a lot. Been out of the game for 30 years so getting back on the field is great. Continue the hard work and your efforts will be rewarded. Nice job.

First year ump (late bloomer), did 31 lower level HS games this spring. Filled in today for a game starting in 45 minutes, close to home, for the KBL. For the most part two thirds of the players were second generation Asian and the rest, white guys. Cash on the field, although this isn't what made this a fun outing. With adult players, NO coaches, and NO parents, it couldn't be an easier or a more relaxed game to call. A bunch of ex-players giving each other the business, reliving their younger years. Just a good vibe all around. Lots of laughs, good time had by all, ( well maybe not so much for the team rocked 12-1). The losing pitcher hadn't thrown in 10 years and after the game asked if I think he got his fastball in the low 80s. Dreams of "The Rookie" probably.

This was exactly what I needed after a long rookie spring. LMAO.

Thanks everyone, learn something new here almost daily. I wish I knew if I got the call right but I made a quick exit and didn't look back. :wave:

Should have noted I was working solo.

High school sophomore game. VT tie the game in TOP of the 7th. HT at bat. One out, first and third, pulled in infield, grounder to F5, I call R3 out on sliding tag. Good position, got him tagged out on the letters before foot sled in. Two out, first and third again, blooper down 1B line about 75 feet beyond 1st. F4 and F9 converged on the ball which drops between them. Stayed home to see if ball was fair or foul. I called fair, for a walk off win, but am wondering in this situation should I have gone out to get a closer look at the fair/foul call. With two outs, what happens if the ball lands fair, doesn't matter, game over. I think I should have gone out. It was tough to see from 150 ft. away. Where would you go to make this fair/foul call?

Was wondering why my knees hurt so much after a game and wondered how far I move during a game. Did a full 7 inning hs soph game today. From the time walking from my car to the field to returning directly to car after the game I took 2272 steps. Thats is a mile plus. Just worth passing on for those that don't think umpiring is an athletic pursuit.

Knowing that I would be doing solo HS games for a few years, I focused on 1 man mechanics. Will have to learn a whole new set of mechanics for 2 man. In NW Illinois all the lower level games are 1 man and varsity 2 man. The traveling 10U - 14U umps($60) get more than HS umps($57).

I was working a freshman A game yesterday when the catcher took a ball to the throat. The coach and trainer talked to the kid and he had a raspy voice but said he was ok so he got back behind the plate. He was looking at his coach for the sign for what pitch to throw and said kind of quietly, "I can't see my coach". Called the trainer to come back out to check on this young man. He told the trainer everything was blurry and he felt faint. Put him on the bench and the trainer continued to monitor the player. He started saying "why can't I feel my hand?" His pupils were as dilated and fixed as I have ever seen. When the trainer was working on the kid he found a soreness in the kids neck. Ambulance came, neck braced and flat boarded him, and left for the hospital. This was even more alarming as a few weeks back a 12 year old ball player from Illinois took one to his throat and died the next day. I called the AD today and left a message concerning the status of the boys condition but no return call yet. I'll call back tomorrow if I haven't heard anything. This incident left all the coaches and players very unsettled as well as myself. Kind of puts this "game" in perspective. This also convinced me to order a throat protector.

After 30 years out of the baseball world, I started umping this year at 50. Doing my 21st HS game today. Mainly freshman A and B games with a hand full of sophomore games. Kind of nerve-racking to start but I am much more comfortable now. Learning every game and having a ball.

As my assignor said after I blew a call, "Blow it off, learn from it, and go out and nail your next game".

How about getting to a game 10 minutes 'after' it started? I was at my alma mater hs watching a friends son pitch for the sophs when the the AD, knowing me from previous games this spring, asked if I could do the freshman game as the ump was a no show. I was on the field in 10 minutes, called 2 innings and the game was called for rain.