Why you become an Umpire

[critter]

For me it was a follow things.

1. I was tired of seeing parents not know what there doing or other coach umpire first base. So this way it be much more fair.

2. I wish i had play baseball when younger but this is a close as you can get into baseball now with my age. Im not that old but there no leauges around here for adults.

3. I love it every minute of it

What about you guys and what you think of ladies trying to umpire?

[Umpire in Chief]

I actually got into umpiring for the wrong reasons, but it ended up turning out well. I was looking to supplement my income with a part time job. In HS and college I refereed soccer. I went back to my soccer association and was told they'd be glad to have me back then proceeded to hand me the physical abilities form. (Mind you I had gotten up to maybe 250lbs then). I looked at the sheet and never thought about it again.

I told my best friend from HS (SunDevil#71) the story and he told me to get into umpiring with him. It took me another year to do it but I did and it quickly went from a job to a passion. There are some people who get into it for the money and work out. But I still believe that the majority of the people who get into umpiring for the money will not work out in the long run.

_____________

About female umpires, I'd welcome more to be involved. I think It would be a good thing for everybody involved. The caveat would be to make sure they are treated the same way all umpires are treated for better or worse. And while I'm obviously not a woman, I believe any person, man or woman, who is serious about umpiring would only want the same. Don't put them up on a pedestal, don't fight their battles for them any more than you would your male partners, but also make sure they have the same opportunity to advance in the organization. There is no legitimate reason why a woman can not be every bit as good an umpire as a man.

[BrianC14]

My umpiring days began when the judge started with these words:

"Will the defendant please rise...."

:kissass:

[th3]

when my older daughter was in 1st grade, the coaches umped each others game. I fell in love the very 1st game

[JamesC]

When I was 8 I first started playing baseball. I loved it more than anything and everytime I seen a ballgame on TV, I would get as many pillows as I could find and stuff them in my shirt and pants and would sit on the couch and mimic the PU's calls the entire game. When I was 13 I went to the local LL softball field, which was about 1/2 mile up the road from my house and asked if they may be looking for umpires. The president of the league told me to come back that night at 6 and that I could work both the games that night. Mostly, I started that year because I was interested in the money. I mean, come on, at 13, living with the parents, not a care in the world, an extra $150 a week is NICE! haha But then after I finally got used to the atmosphere, I began to love my new job. Every year I returned until I went off to college. Once in college, I started calling at a local LL around town and the following year got into HS ball. I didn't know anyone but after about 2-3 weeks of ball, my assignor called to schedule me to a game (in which the 2 teams were horrible, much like other games I had worked during the season), I told him that if he needed me to call better games I was capable of it and he said he would work with me a game and see how I done. Never looked back from there. If any of you are from around the South, you may have heard of Evangel Christian Academy out of Shreveport, LA. My first year calling HS I had the liberty of calling their 2nd round playoff game, and it was a dandy. 3 games later they went on to win the state championship. I love this game!!

[mstaylor]

I got into umpiring when my younger brother was playing LL. I found I liked it and the next thing I knew I was working four nights a week. After a few years I got invited to another league by some of the umpires to work 90ft. I attended a clinic and was nvited to work HS. Then I was asked to move up to college. That was 34 yrs ago.

[okump96]

I was working with a guy who umpired the local rec league in tulsa, ok. Almost every day after he would work a game he came up and asked me what i thought about this call or situation. After setting him straight for a couple of years i finally decided to "get paid" for my knowledge of the game. He let me know when they were having a clinic and i haven't looked back since. That was in 2000, now i have moved up through the ranks and am working juco, D2 & D3. Only thing i've found wrong with this avocation is that i didn't start early enough.

[BrianC14]

I was working with a guy who umpired the local rec league in tulsa, ok. Almost every day after he would work a game he came up and asked me what i thought about this call or situation. After setting him straight for a couple of years i finally decided to "get paid" for my knowledge of the game. He let me know when they were having a clinic and i haven't looked back since. That was in 2000, now i have moved up through the ranks and am working juco, D2 & D3. Only thing i've found wrong with this avocation is that i didn't start early enough.

I'm definitely in that category... :kissass:

[critter]

I'm definitely in that category...

I agree as well i wish i did. though i am 22 so i got in there still young. i been doing since about 10th 11th grade in high school.

[sdix00]

No reason in particular.

[sdix00]

I know it's not Friday yet, but I just couldn't hold it.

[Welpe]

Where'd you get my photo?

I started because it just made sense...strange to say but it's in my blood. My first officiating experience was our 5th grade end of the year party. We played a game of softball and while kids were picking teams, I decided the game needed and umpire and well why not it be me. Would you believe I had three other fellow class mates that decided they didn't want to play, they wanted to umpire?

It was perhaps the first four man game of 5th grade softball worked. My dad was there helping out and happened to have my catcher's gear in the car so he got that out and I worked the dish.

I didn't get my official start until I turned 13 and could finally join the local little league umpire program. I've loved it ever since. I still kick myself for not going to pro school out of high school.

[Richvee]

I always played some sort of ball from the time I was 8 until I was around 30. Then came kids and the playing stopped. I coached while my son played through little league, Babe Ruth, etc. Through it all, I guess I was I typical coach who thought most of the umpires sucked and I could do better. I always said I would think about getting into it after my kids were done playing. My son played through high school, and after his final year, I decided to take the plunge. I never thought it would become such a passion. I absolutely love it and can't believe I waited till my late 40's before I started this. Oh, and I was right. I can do this better than a bunch of those guys that umpired while I was coaching my son :beerbang

[scrounge]

I actually started, technically, when I was 16 for a local summer league. No training, no introduction, they just handed me a balloon protector and a mask and said 'good luck'. Third game in, a big pot-bellied dad/coach didn't like a call and came charging in from the 3rd base box. Well, he couldn't stop his considerable girth in time and ran right into me, knocking me backwards. After that, I basically said 'screw this' and gave it up. Nothing happened to the guy - it was 25 yrs ago and in a small town. I don't think I even reported it, just walked away in disgust.

Fast forward a couple decades and I'd been coaching the kids in rec league for many years, but they eventually either stopped playing or stayed with coaches they had previously while I was coaching their siblings. I'd been thinking of getting into umpiring for awhile but didn't make the plunge till last year. Like so many others, I can't believe it took me this long.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I started umpiring in 1986. Because I was a Physical Education major at SDSU, I was taking the mandatory Sports Officiating course. As part of the course requirements, I started out working basketball and softball games for the fraternity leagues. These games (both basketball and softball) were all one-man, so I got used to being alone on the fields and courts really fast. The softball games consisted of teams that had cases of beer in the dugouts, and were consuming them before, during, and after the games. So, I got used to players getting up in my face right away.

One fine day, I had gotten done watching a SDSU Aztecs baseball game on campus, and decided to trail the home plate umpire to the parking lot, and I inquired as to how I could become a baseball umpire. The guy happened to be a long time D-1 umpire, who had gone to Joe Brinkman's school in the mid-70s. He gave me the number to the assignor for the San Diego County Baseball Umpires Association, and the rest is history. He now regrets giving me the number! I started out doing LL games, and by the end of year two, I was working HS Varsity on a regular basis. By year three I was working exclusively Varsity, Pony, Colt, Palomino, Legion, and adult baseball. For the first 20 years, I averaged between 150 to 175 games a year, with 203 games in my second year.

[ukce1861]

I started out because the umpires in my daughter's softball games sucked. I figured it couldn't be that hard to be better than them, so with little to no baseball background, I figured I'd give it a shot. I went to an pre-All Stars little league clinic, figuring I'd start working fall ball the next season. The District needed umpires, so I started working tournament games almost immediately... Like the AAA Umpire I worked with last year said, "It's an answer. It's not sexy, but it's an answer..."

Turns out it wasn't too hard to be better than my daughter's umpires, but it's considerably more challenging to be good... I did Little League for two years and then last year I started doing travel ball - mostly 16U-18U. Just finished up my first HS season and I got four Varsity games, so I was proud of that. Certainly not perfect, but I feel like I get a little better every game.

[stl_ump]

$$

[grayhawk]

I got pulled out of the stands to umpire my son's fall ball game. Went out there with some very basic baseball knowledge (played as a kid and have been a fan of the game all my life) and absolutely NO knowledge of how to umpire. When the game was over, I thought it was kind of fun. Did a couple of games during the spring. Did a couple more fall ball games the next year attended my first clinic and got into it more the following spring. Then the league president asked if I would help represent the league as an umpire in the district tournaments (TOC and All Stars). That's when I got to first work with guys that take umpiring seriously. I got the bug, bought my gear and started contacting assigners for AAU, Pony, etc and starting gaining confidence. The AAU assigner gave me a couple of league games in the fall (Friday night league) and put me on the big diamond with no notice one evening. I was walking to the small diamond and he said "Steve, you're going to the wrong field - your working over here tonight." I didn't tell him that I had never worked the big field before and the game went well. He did say that he wouldn't put me in his tournaments until I got my high school "card" (not that there really is one). He pointed me to the Orange County high school unit and I joined last year and did my first HS baseball game in March of 2011.

WHY do I umpire? I love baseball. I love being out there on the field and being a part of the game. I love learning and improving myself (no matter the activity). I'm also pretty good at it (for my experience level). I am very curious to know how far I can advance. I can see myself working college, given the opportunity, if it fits within my "real job" schedule. I hope that at some point I am put in a position to make that choice.

[dumbdumb]

About female umpires, I'd welcome more to be involved. I think It would be a good thing for everybody involved. The caveat would be to make sure they are treated the same way all umpires are treated for better or worse. And while I'm obviously not a woman, I believe any person, man or woman, who is serious about umpiring would only want the same. Don't put them up on a pedestal, don't fight their battles for them any more than you would your male partners, but also make sure they have the same opportunity to advance in the organization. There is no legitimate reason why a woman can not be every bit as good an umpire as a man.

I agree.

However, the article by the reporter and Perry Barber, that we had on this board concerning professional umpires is all well and good.

But, I want Perry to start the article about the women's lack of umpiring opportunity in HS, D3, D2, D1 baseball with amateur players first, before bringing up the lack of opportunity at the professional level.

Just for good measure, how many female umpires worked the Regionals, Super Regionals, or CWS in baseball. How many are on Major D1 baseball conferences and how many games do they work. Are they conference games or just non-conference. How many are working the state tournaments in HS?

Where are the articles for not working Major College baseball, rather than just the pro articles. There should be both. Why just one level. If you are going to bash one level in the papers and to the press, bash em all in papers and to the press. Do some equal opportunity constructive criticism for lack of opportunity at all levels.

And since I am probably missing all the articles on women not having the opportunity to work in the Major D-1 baseball conferences, please send links for those articles that I am missing.

OP--kids always arguing in wiffle ball. Figured I would make it as realistic as possible with help from this board. Blind in one eye and cannot see out the other.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I always played some sort of ball from the time I was 8 until I was around 30. Then came kids and the playing stopped. I coached while my son played through little league, Babe Ruth, etc. Through it all, I guess I was I typical coach who thought most of the umpires sucked and I could do better. I always said I would think about getting into it after my kids were done playing. My son played through high school, and after his final year, I decided to take the plunge. I never thought it would become such a passion. I absolutely love it and can't believe I waited till my late 40's before I started this. Oh, and I was right. I can do this better than a bunch of those guys that umpired while I was coaching my son

Wow, Rich!

I swear on my mother's grave that this is my story, virtually word-for-word. In fact, I will re-write it with the subtle changes that are needed, and see if there's much of a difference. It is remarkable. You'll see.

Here goes:

I always played some sort of ball from the time I was 8 9 until I was around 30 32. Then came kids and the playing stopped. [absolutely true!]

I coached while my son played through little league, Babe Ruth, PONY, travel ball, etc. Through it all, I guess I was the typical coach who thought most of the umpires sucked and I could do better. I always said I would think about getting into it after my kid s were was done playing. My son played through high school is still playing, and after his final second year of high school, I decided to take the plunge. I never thought it would become such a passion! I absolutely love it and can't believe I waited till my late 40's before I started this.

Oh, and I was right. I can do this better than a bunch of those guys that umpired while I was coaching my son.

Okay? It is that similar. I love it!

[Richvee]

That great Kevin. I'm glad your son is still playing. I wish my son kept playing and loved the game as much as I do. He's got a real sweet, compact lefty swing and raked through his Soph year. But the passion and drive wasn't there and he gave it up. He's got the passion and drive, but it's for snowboarding. Broke my heart when he said he wasn't playing ball anymore. It's too bad because I think he had the talent to go further. But you've got to love it and want it also,

[Kevin Finnerty]

My son was a DH/reliever in high school and the first year of college. It was a pretty cool role. Then he became only a pitcher in an effort at becoming a starting pitcher rather than a short reliever. It didn't really work. He's still a reliever. When he's done, he'll coach college, rather than play in the minors.

I think the reason he's still at it is that he didn't let it finish him mentally and emotionally when it reached that time that he realized he wasn't going to make the big leagues. He immediately changed his plan to what would be the most likely way to play through college, and he just kept grinding.

It really is a rough road. A lot of guys just want to be a kid the one time they're young in this life, so they stop playing. I fully understand. My kid bypassed a lot of teenage thrills to remain on teams and keep playing. I never pushed him in any direction, because I didn't want him to have any regrets. He was the one who wanted to play all year and go all over the west. I just... allowed it.

But I too would have been devastated if he had hung it up early, and I am thankful as hell that he didn't. I love being around the game and I am thankful that he stayed at it. Like I said, it's a rough road.

[Texarkana]

I played ball till I was 23 or 24. Always loved it and played hard. Twenty some years ago I was sitting around talking to a guy that called HS ball at the time and we were having our usual baseball talk when all of a sudden he asked me if I wanted to go umpire some baseball games for him in his town. I said ok. First year I did nothing but 9-10 year olds and worked with a lot of guys who had called a long time. Next year I called 11-12 and did that along with 13-14 for another year or so. Year four I got invited to umpire HS ball by the head of the local chapter. Went to about five local clinics and called 9th and jv ball for three years. Six years into it, I started calling varsity baseball. About five years later, started calling college. Looking back, I think the progression and the time frame was perfect for me. The guys that mentored me stressed the importance of doing it right and using good mechanics no matter what age group I was umpiring. One guy that mentored me umpired on a stage that most people only dream of doing and shared a wealth of stories of MLB coaches, playoffs, venues and all that went along with it.

[Richvee]

. I never pushed him in any direction, because I didn't want him to have any regrets. He was the one who wanted to play all year and go all over the west. I just... allowed it.

That's important. I never pushed in any direction for the same reason. I wasn't looking to live out my baseball dreams through my son. God, I see that way too much.

[noumpere]

I started so I could post on boards like this and because I wanted to resurrect three year old threads.

(note that was meant as a joke)