How many games have you done?

[stl_ump]

Was just wondering how many games you guys do in a typical season.

Here in St Louis I was able to squeeze in about 240 games from April thru the end of Sept (Regular season and Fall Ball). And that was with time off for an 8 day vacation and a fair amount of rainouts.

[BrianC14]

Was just wondering how many games you guys do in a typical season.

Here in St Louis I was able to squeeze in about 240 games from April thru the end of Sept (Regular season and Fall Ball). And that was with time off for an 8 day vacation and a fair amount of rainouts.

If I even attempted half of that many games I'd be:

a) divorced

B) unemployed

c) exhausted or dead

d) all of the above.

(d) would be the only possible answer.

For spring 2010, (March 4 - May 8) I took 28 games. If this season goes like last year, I'll end up doing about 35 (rescheds, single games turn to double headers, etc.).

For summer (May 15 - July 30) I might do 40 games.

Fall ball: (August-September) I might do 10-15.

240 games? I'm sorry - I just think that's way too much. April to September - that's about 180 days.... that averages out to 1.3 games EVERY DAY. Man, you must have double headers (triple headers?) all the time!!

I have a life to live, and family, and work, and "honey-do's" and, oh -yeah, I sleep every now & then. I specifically don't work on Sundays - (and our school system doesn't schedule spring games then, anyway) and I also allow myself some rest. I cannot possibly imagine working a game (let alone the 2x and 3x games you must work). No way!

Edited February 5, 2010 by BrianC14

[LMSANS]

Because I work several sports, I end my season early enough to give me to a) rest a little, prepare for the new season (rules/mechanics).

Here is my breakdown for the last 2 years. Baseball/softball start mid-March, Football mid-August and Wrestling late Dec. The thing with wrestling, 1 "match" could be a tourney that lasts 6 - 8 hours or it could be a dual meet over in 90 minutes. A lot of the football is Pop Warner youth games that have a 90 minute time limit.

BB SB FB Wr

101 22 79 2

76 10 93 19

[stl_ump]

... Man, you must have double headers (triple headers?) all the time!! ..

Week nights they are dbl headers 6 and 8 (1:45 time limit) and weekends there are 7 slots possible. Starting at 8:00 am and finishing at 10:00 pm. I usually will do 4 - 6 on a Sat. Though once I got really crazy and did 7. But that was only once.

Since there is a time limit and run rules sometimes we get lucky and have a short mercy rule game so that helps.

With the association providing food and drinks all day long and getting $45 per game, it makes it a little easier to take.

Eyes on the goal! Take it one game at a time.

[Umpire in Chief]

My first year I did over 200 games. I had a more flexible job then and would do 2-3 most weekdays and 5-6 on weekends. But that was doing 2-3 Mustang/Bronco games weeknights.

I've been just over 100 games the past few years. Where I'll do 2-3 JV/V games in a week and 3-4 over a weekend.

[th3]

which included a sub varsity bb and softball, mens slowpitch, girls fast pitch travel and rec, boys travel - big field and little (and medium!)...little bit of everything....mid march to almost mid november, this past year

i have 30 games scheduled for the spring and imagine that i'll do around the same amount as last year...maybe a few more

im taking FED classes now to be varsity certified for next season

[tommy]

I work between 350 & 400 games a year. I work allot of travel tournaments where you rack up 10 games a weekend. I work high school and college ball and when the leagues are up and running Im working every night. what the heck, im self employed and im already divorced.

[NovaScotiaBlue]

Ump24....

Time to add your quota to this thread:cheers:

[mstaylor]

I used to do 120 to 150 a year. I quit the college group, I started managing my son and I spend more time observing newer guys. I still do probably 70/75 games. I have access to working travel ball almost every week-end during the summer but I rarely do them. If I do I only do three at most. I prefer not to beat my body up with four or five games a day. I don't think you can give them a good job working more than three.

[Stan W.]

In my early days....(no wife..no kids, lesser Job responsibities) I called anything that was played with a white ball with red stitches............and racked up the games...I thought the best way to develop as a young umpire was similar to being a student pilot.....racking up games like a pilot does hours...

as I have gotten older and added trainer duties and assisting our assignors, I've come to a differing opinion for me...I now consistently do 75-100 games. I am deliberately trying to do "better" baseball rather than "more" baseball and certainly more than just anything played with a white Ball with red stitches...

I try and not do any more than 4 games a week during the regular season... tourney season I can do more, but thats the number I feel that I am at the top of my game....more than that and I feel I am not giving it my best efforts...

All associations need work horses.....we often need guys to do a good stretch of games and games at many levels...often well below the levels they are used to doing....

Now understand that I do not rely on my umpire income, but I certainly do get paid for my efforts....so I understand the financial aspect of doing games.....we have made accomodations for members who have become unemployed or laid off to get them through tough times....

Now that being said, we have had some bad experiences with guys who want as many games as they can get....we have now gotten leary of them... we have games go uncovered as they have scheduled themselves too thin, given half assed efforts, they have become exhausted and uninterested umpires.... and we get complaints from our leagues that they see the same guys game to game....

all in all , we dont discourage guys from working....but we keep an eye on the quality of those guys and the product they ( and therefore "we") are putting on the field.....

Edited February 7, 2010 by Stan W.
clarity

[Jeff C.]

I've got about 18 H.S. games scheduled this spring. I hope to do about 30 games this summer, from U10 to U16. I would try and schedule more, but I don't think my employer would like it.

[Don]

Was just wondering how many games you guys do in a typical season.

Here in St Louis I was able to squeeze in about 240 games from April thru the end of Sept (Regular season and Fall Ball). And that was with time off for an 8 day vacation and a fair amount of rainouts.

The most I have ever done is 117, from late Feb to early Nov. Average would be 85. After the 117 year I dropped back to 65 and then settled on 85 the next. 85 is about right for me, both physically (at my age), and due to work demands. Edited February 7, 2010 by Don

[Umpire in Chief]

I've got about 18 H.S. games scheduled this spring. I hope to do about 30 games this summer, from U10 to U16. I would try and schedule more, but I don't think my employer would like it.

With the economy I'm not going to be as aggressive with my baseball schedule I need my job first and foremost

[smackin]

Hi all,

I am new to this site. I returned to umpiring 2 years ago after a 6 year absence where I had previously umpired for 14 years. Where I reside (New Brunswick, Canada, right above the state of Maine) the seasons are incredibly short re: something called the "weather" but I still manage between 90 -100 each season. Some may find it surprising but we've had some pretty good ball players around these parts including; Matt Stairs, Rheal Cormier and Bill Lee to name but a few. Nice to join the forum!