KYUmpire

So, my wife and I are sitting at home yesterday. My director calls me and says someone just had to cancel on him last minute and he needs another umpire and asks if I am available. Nothing much going on so I say sure, give me 5 minutes to change and I'll be there. We only live 2 miles from the park so I'm there about 10 minutes before the game. Game is good, but takes forever since it is tourney and we are tied at end of 6th. Played 3 extras before it ends. I'm BU for first game, and all goes well. Have 45 minutes between games so we relax and get dressed. Go to 2nd game, and I got plate. During 4th inning I hear a voice calling my name from the field gate. It is my director and he appears frantic. Apparently my wife had been calling me and calling me, but since I've got the plate my phone is in the box with the scorekeeper on silent. He says take your gear off and get on the road to Lexington to the hospital your wife has gone into labor. So after explaining to coaches what is going on, I run to parking lot and get gear off and i'm immediately on the phone with wife. Her mom has her in the car and are on the way to the hospital, I tell her that I am about 30 minutes behind her and will meet her there. Get to hospital and she is already in the room. When I get into the room everyone looks really funny at me. Only then do I realize that, in my rush and phone call making, I forgot to take off my CP. I managed to get my shirt off so I'm walking around in my CP and undershirt. Anyways to end this, we welcomed our first child into the world early this morning. I got a picture of me holding him wrapped up in blankets and my CP (because it was too funny not to). When I get some sleep I'll put up a picture of the kiddo. Right now, I need to change a diaper I think, or is he crying because he's hungry, wet, pooped himself. I don't know.

It's all good. Wrote up report and League Director and my Assignor both backed me, so I am all good. Helps that several parents on both sides also told them, I was right in my call and with how I handled the aftermath. A couple have even said both coaches were out of line. When it comes down to it, I know I made the right call and handled myself appropriately and professionally.

Here is situation, doing a tournament for a league run by a local city parks and rec, PU for the game. 12u game. Runner on 2b, ball hit to left-center. Runner from 2B rounds 3rd. About halfway down the line he nearly stops as the ball is caught by catcher. He then starts running full speed again toward home plate and as he gets to catcher, drops his left shoulder and creams the catcher dislodging the ball. City has a mandatory slide rule on plays at the plate. Call runner out and dump him for MC (which gives 2 game suspension by the city). OT coach comes screaming at me when he realizes that not only did I call the runner out, but also dumped him. Tell him the rule and to go back to his dugout. On his way back to dugout, he turns around and yells at me, "how much are they(other team) paying you to make bad calls like that?" Dump the coach for that one. Then he comes unglued, runs back at me and starts yelling lots of nice things at me. AC comes to intervene and gets coach to leave the field. As AC is making sure that coach is leaving, he looks at me and says F*** You, you really F***ing blew that one. Bye coach, to the parking lot. Team has no other coaches in the dugout and I am forced to call the game in favor of the other team. Pretty sure that is a personal best for 1 game and 1 play. Hated to see it happen, but rules are rules.

While I agree with everyone that we as umpires should look professional at all times on the field, I would caution people about rushing to judgement. For instance I worked with a guy a few years back and he showed up looking like he had slept in his clothes (they were wrinkled as hell, shoes looked like crap, and his hat was incorrect). Thought he was going to be terrible, but was actually really good. I mentioned his appearance to league umpire director and he said he would talk with him about it. Turns out the guy had lost his job and was evicted from his apartment. Guy hadn't told anyone because he was embarrassed and did not want anyone to know about what was going on with his personal life. Needless to say since I am a bleeding heart, I invited him to use my apartment at the time and my laundry, bought him some food and other necessities, and gave him my pay for the next few weeks. Long story short guys, I think that although we should strive to be and look as professional as possible, there are sometimes extenuating circumstances that we should all be cognizant of and if possible, offer help to fellow umpires if the opportunity arises. As a side note, my fellow man in blue, has been my only partner for the last 2 seasons and has been employed full time off the field as well. Just my 2 cents here and I am not bashing anyone on this forum.

See even though I am new here, I knew that you all would have some great input on this. I think that you have raised some very valid points and will share them, hopefully he can come up with something really cool that could help his son and maybe some other kids. Still seems like a very small market, so maybe this is only something to help his son out for right now, but in the future who knows.

Had a 12u LL game tonight. I've got the plate. During plate meeting, coach of the home team informs all of us that their catcher is deaf and asks me if I'd mind helping the catcher out. Tap left shoulder for ball and right shoulder for called strike. I said I have no problem with that and neither does visiting team coach. All goes smoothly and after the game, catcher signs to me that he appreciated the help back there. Anyway get to the parking lot and dad comes up to me and shows me a project he is working on. Apparently he is an engineer of some sort and likes to tinker. He is working on a special indicator for plate umpire that sends a wireless signal to two pads placed underneath sons cp, they are about the size of quarter and about as thick. When PU rolls the dials for ball or strikes it vibrates corresponding pad again left shoulder for ball and right shoulder for strike. He showed me how it worked and I'll be damned it worked, rolled the dials and pads vibrated. Indicator was about 50% larger than normal ones. Asked what I thought about using and said as long as it was approved by the league and our umpire director I would see no reason that I wouldn't use it. He then asked what other umpires would think. And I said that he should ask them when he has the chance but felt confident they would use it as well. Was curious about what you all think about this.

To reply to both of you and clarify, the kids are all 7 or 6 about to turn 7. The coaches are pitching to them from the mound. I do somewhat agree that there really shouldn't be an umpire except maybe to help keep order in case of a situation that occurs. And yes it does feel like babysitting coaches at times.

Okay here is my situation, I think I got it correct, but I am not 100% certain as I have not done many games in LL U7 games. In this league the league director and umpire director have us by ourselves on the field and we start out on a 45 angle behind home plate since it is coach pitch. Gets rough when you have to then run out from there on every single hit ball. In this situation have runners on 2nd & 3rd. Batter hits fly to left field. Run to 1B side of pitchers mound and observe the catch and call it. Take glance at 3rd and observe runner tagging (see foot on bag) and take off for home. Runner at 2nd has not returned to bag however throw is coming to home so I move into position for call at home. Ball is cut off and thrown to 2nd to get runner not tagging. Coach on the field is moving and trips and falls, shielding me from the play at 2nd. I rule that runner on 3rd tagged appropriately and scored. Defensive coach then comes flying at me and demands that I call the runner at 2nd out since he did not tag up and the throw beat him. I explain to him the situation and that I was shielded by the coach and I cannot make a call that I did not see. He is not happy and wants to appeal the call. I ask him who he wants to appeal it to since I am the only umpire on the field. He huffs and puffs and then storms off the field to his dugout. I feel that I may have missed a call because of positioning that we are instructed to use at this age group, but want to clarify in case it happens to me again. Thanks

Yes I've heard them all. It used to bug me, but not anymore. I've gotten used to it. Oh well it is funny to get try and get into position behind a 9 year old catcher who is like 4 feet tall. Makes my quads, knees, and back hurt.

Hello all, I have been reading this site for quite a long time now, just figured I would introduce myself. Have been calling for almost 10 years now. Started up right after surgery took away any more ball for me. Prefer to call mostly younger kids games 9-12, because it is usually more fun to be involved with. Coaches in our league (Parks and Rec) allow me and my partner to assist in "on-field coaching" to help out with things. I do games in Central Kentucky. Love the site and has helped me out on more than one occasion. I use all Diamond Gear because I am 6'6" and it fits the best. Anyone have suggestions for best place to find shoes in size 17 I'm listening. Most of the time I just end up wearing whatever sneakers I can find that I don't mind getting destroyed. Love reading on here and hope to continue as long as I can. Thanks to all, Chad