Hello!
My name is Duncan, and I am a high school umpire in Florida. 2019 will be my second year, and the first year behind the plate. While I played baseball as a kid and in high school, I chose to stick to the bases my first year to get a feel for the game as an umpire before I got behind the plate. (After all, the base umpire deals with more of the "playing rules" that a former player would be familiar with rather than the "administrative rules" that the plate umpire deals with that you normally wouldn't be aware of as a player). I am joining this site because I have found some good discussion on gear, situations, mechanics, etc. Since I have a day job as a software engineer, I have found that umpiring high school has been a good balance for me: I don't have to travel that far and the games are pretty much right after work. I'm also a volleyball referee. I played volleyball in high school and college and it is probably my better sport (I made my officials association's first crew for state playoffs in my second year being a volleyball referee!) but after two shoulder surgeries and a back surgery, I hung up the colorful uniform for the black and white one. Due to these surgeries, and a concussion as a kid, I am always on the lookout for gear that reduces the chance of injury and am always wiling to pay more for scientifically better gear. I will wear the rattiest piece of old equipment over brand new scientifically inferior equipment any day. I hope to get to know some of you, and please don't hesitate to say hello. I promise I don't bite!
Cheers,
-Duncan
P.S. - My nickname in highschool was "UmpaDunc" and there is a story for that. One day we had a high school game at another school and I forgot my baseball socks and cleats. I also wore baseball pants that stopped halfway below the calf. My friends, who thought it was hilarious, refused to trade socks with me, even though they had pants that went down to their ankles. So there I was at first base with sneakers, ankle socks, and about 4-6 inches of calf showing. Apparently I looked like a hobo, and thus the nickname "HoboDunc" came about. That evolved into other nicknames. When I pitched, I was "CyYoungaDunc" and when I made a pick at first, I was "GoldGlovaDunc." But one day, when they were brainstorming out loud in the dugout for new nicknames, I sarcastically threw out "UmpaDunc" and literally the whole team in unison cried "UMPADUNC!!!" and that's the one that stuck. I'll be honest, I wasn't happy at first, but it grew on me over time. I am proud to finally live up to my nickname
