Best View

[mepperson]

For several years when Select Ball (I've found it's call Travel Ball in the East here) first started, the group I was working with had the opportunity to call some of the first tournaments of the year each year - these were in early February, when it was cold even in Texas. Each year, we happened to not only get the 20- to 30-degree temperatures, but also a nice drizzle that never developed into ice.

During one of these, I had the opportunity to work the plate on a game involving the director of the organization running these tournaments. His 10-under team was favored each year, of course; and his being the director seemed to only accentuate his self-worth.

Although it was a close game, the director couldn't help but make it miserable by constantly griping from the bench about ball and strike calls. In the second inning, I had already had to warn him about this, and began to notice a trend - he was griping mostly on pitches that around the corners of the plate.

So, in the third inning, I finally decided enough was enough. He hadn't gotten so out of hand as to deserve an ejection; besides, keeping him on the field would keep him out of the warmth of the car or the concession stand.

Calling "Time" after one of his comments, I walked casually to where he was sitting smugly on his bucket, just outside of the confines of the bench area, and leaned down next to his ear, looking toward the plate.

Quietly, only loud enough for him and his assistant to hear, I remarked casually, "You're right, Darrel. You can see the corners better from over here."

I didn't hear another word from that bench for the rest of the tournament.

[Ump29]

Had a fellow umpire tell me about a similar situation occur with him at a higher level. He went to offending dugout , sat down on bench with the coach and stated "Yes you can see the strike zone better from here." He then called "Play Ball" (still sitting on the bench) and then ordered the mystified pitcher to pitch. He called the pitch from the dugout bench !! He then returned to his regular position behind the catcher. There was't a peep from the coach the rest of the game

[mepperson]

Always talked about doing it, but haven't ever really done it. I have gone behind the backstop during between-inning warmups, though, and threatened fans with staying there...

My favorite, though, is to take my glasses off for a couple of pitches if somebody's really riding me. When I ask which they prefer, they usually admit that they prefer me with the glasses, and don't say another word.

[littleleagueump]

One of my umpires did the same as ump29 but he went into the stands and called play. He sat next to the guy who was yacking the entire game. He was the only one too. He was unheard of for the remainder of the game.

[Old Nr 24]

Funny stuff! Sometimes I guess the umpire just has to respond, and in my experience if that response is clever enough you get very little static about it. Along the same lines as having the best view, I once had a third base coach get on me about balls and strikes, nothing too loud or abusive, but griping on almost every strike call on one of his hitters. I ignored it for a couple of innings, then gave him the obligatory "stop sign" and told him that was enough, and even told him as much as he passed the plate headed for his dugout, still grumbling about the last pitch under his breath but so I could hear it, so he knew what I meant. Not an inning later he was even hotter about a couple of calls (perfect strikes in my mind, so you know they were good pitches!), and actually came about 50 feet down the line. That was it. I ambled out to meet him and said, "Man, you must have the best set of eyes in the world!" His reply was something like, "I can tell you they sure see better than yours!" So I quietly told him, "That's good. You shouldn't have any trouble finding your way to the parking lot," and tossed him.