In Defense of Norm

[jjb]

Maybe it’s because I’m getting old…

I’ve been snickering at “Norm the Umpire” (see the thread on Verbalizing Balls), as well as the guy with his hat on backwards on YouTube, giving Umpire Training, just like you have. And then I start to thinking: “You know, maybe it’s them that’s got it right”

Before Warren takes my baseballs from under my screen name, take a look around them: it looks like, at least from what I can see, kids are playing baseball: birds aren’t falling from the sky, and the world isn’t coming to an end. The title even says it: ‘Norm, our favorite umpire”.

I’m up here in North Texas, in a city of a quarter million people. The League has 300 teams, and 100 Umpires. I work in several baseball complexes with manicured fields impeccably lined by a professional company every morning. (Yes, even for our Coach Pitch Leagues). The baseball is reasonably serious, and Norm probably wouldn’t last very long around here.

But, in the summer, I’ll be moving to New Hampshire, into a small town, with a league of maybe at best, 6-8 teams. The backstops will be chicken wire, and the dogs running in the outfield will have to be covered by a ground rule. Here’s the question: If I show up in my NB 450’s, WV (gold), Ultimate Combos and (creased, naturally) 4-stitch TASO hat, who’s going to look out of place? Me or Norm?

Quick Story: I’m originally from Northboro, MA, a small town with about ½ dozen LL teams. We had an umpire named Ray. Ray had a cleft palate, which gave him a very nasal voice. Ray had absolutely zero umpire training, which he demonstrated by having the absolutely worst mechanics I’ve ever seen. (For instance, he never called a runner Safe: he’d point and yell, “NO, HERE”). No shinguards, no hat, and used a raft over his wrinkled Elbeco. He’d make our Norm look like Rob Drake out there.

And you know what? He was absolutely beloved by the players, fans and coaches. The players would actually cheer when they found out he was working their game. Me? They’d shrug, say, “Oh, Jim’s working” and go back to warming up.

Now, I’m not suggesting we all go buy white sneakers for working the dish, and I can’t say I’ll adjust my mechanics when I head North. I’ll probably still say “Safe”. But, personally, I think I’m going to “judge slowly” when it comes to deciding who’s got the right attitude in their individual world. It seems to work for them.

[BrianC14]

Maybe it’s because I’m getting old…

I’ve been snickering at “Norm the Umpire” (see the thread on Verbalizing Balls), as well as the guy with his hat on backwards on YouTube, giving Umpire Training, just like you have. And then I start to thinking: “You know, maybe it’s them that’s got it right”

Before Warren takes my baseballs from under my screen name, take a look around them: it looks like, at least from what I can see, kids are playing baseball: birds aren’t falling from the sky, and the world isn’t coming to an end. The title even says it: ‘Norm, our favorite umpire”.

I’m up here in North Texas, in a city of a quarter million people. The League has 300 teams, and 100 Umpires. I work in several baseball complexes with manicured fields impeccably lined by a professional company every morning. (Yes, even for our Coach Pitch Leagues). The baseball is reasonably serious, and Norm probably wouldn’t last very long around here.

But, in the summer, I’ll be moving to New Hampshire, into a small town, with a league of maybe at best, 6-8 teams. The backstops will be chicken wire, and the dogs running in the outfield will have to be covered by a ground rule. Here’s the question: If I show up in my NB 450’s, WV (gold), Ultimate Combos and (creased, naturally) 4-stitch TASO hat, who’s going to look out of place? Me or Norm?

Quick Story: I’m originally from Northboro, MA, a small town with about ½ dozen LL teams. We had an umpire named Ray. Ray had a cleft palate, which gave him a very nasal voice. Ray had absolutely zero umpire training, which he demonstrated by having the absolutely worst mechanics I’ve ever seen. (For instance, he never called a runner Safe: he’d point and yell, “NO, HERE”). No shinguards, no hat, and used a raft over his wrinkled Elbeco. He’d make our Norm look like Rob Drake out there.

And you know what? He was absolutely beloved by the players, fans and coaches. The players would actually cheer when they found out he was working their game. Me? They’d shrug, say, “Oh, Jim’s working” and go back to warming up.

Now, I’m not suggesting we all go buy white sneakers for working the dish, and I can’t say I’ll adjust my mechanics when I head North. I’ll probably still say “Safe”. But, personally, I think I’m going to “judge slowly” when it comes to deciding who’s got the right attitude in their individual world. It seems to work for them.

Well, whatever floats your boat, I guess.... I don't know how long it's been since you played in a youth league at whatever level, but these days, it's sometimes more "serious" because of the fees required from each player (family). With that being the case, a horseSH*# umpire isn't going to last very long, nor should he, IMO.

"Norm" may be their "favorite" - but interestingly, we aren't told why. Maybe Norm's been the resident clown for so long that it's just accepted. If he kicks a crucial call because he doesn't know what he's doing, will the teams be as magnanimous? :wave:

[Umpire in Chief]

I think certain umpires could become institutions in their areas that every comes to love for their idiosyncrasies.

I agree with JJB that Norm and the video instructor guy definitely have a passion which definitely goes a long way, but if I had a child playing I probably wouldn't want to see on my field.

But no matter where your life takes you, a good umpire will always be appreciated.

[jjb]

In answer to your question Brian, uh, yesterday, four games. 87 degrees and humid..

All I'm saying is that maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't judge other people's "idiosynchrasies" in light of our own particular environment. Somebody someplace may look at a 30 second video of you, me or anybody else, and arbitrarily decide that our mechanics are "horseSH*#", and we are therefore labeled as a "tool", who has no business on a ballfield. Who knows, maybe Norm's the only umpire in town, comes out every day for a dog and a coke, and is therefore, the best they got? If that were the case, is he still a "tool"?

[Dragon29]

jjb,

You make some really good points and I agree we all may be a little too quick to judge others. But, . . .

This is an umpire's forum; this is where people like us come to discuss the art of officiating. We do this because we want to improve and be the best umpires we can be. We also go to clinics. We also talk with other umpires and yes, when we watch an MLB game on TV, we're the only bozo in the room thinking, "Man, he got a great view of that play - perfect position!" even when he called an out on our team.

Norm isn't on this site and he didn't go to any clinics. Norm doesn't talk to other umpires (at least, not about umpiring) and when he watches a game on TV, he's rooting for his favorite team. Norm is a 'love of the game' umpire and there's nothing wrong with that. But, I think there are a lot of us on this and other sites that started as 'love of the game' umpires and then decided we wanted to be something more. Learning from falure is quicker and easier than learning from success, so the fact that we point and laugh at Norm is a by-product of our desire to learn. I'd like to think that if most of us met Norm after seeing him work, we'd buy him that dog and coke - I know I would. (Gotta admit, I wouldn' be so keen on working a game with him)

I've been in volunteer organizations most of my life (first, theatre and now youth baseball though I've been paid for each as well) and the first thing you need as a volunteer is enthusiasm - Norm appears to have that in spades and good for him. Norm has his place . . . it's just not here.

[mstaylor]

I started as a volunteer umpire and in theatre also. However, my desire to be as good as I can be in my chosen field, whether professional or volunteer, I has lead me to be a leader. Are there guys better than me, sure but few as knowledgeable. I owned a theatre at 22, opened a contracting business at 26 and currently make a living in the concert field. I am the lead trainer and rules interpreter in my area. You dang right I want to be as good as I can be and give everything I can when I walk on the field.

I have seen some terrible umpires that are well liked but they still stink. I would rather be know as a good, fair umpire that takes care of business and can handle the tough games.

[jjb]

And there it sits: I am in total agreement with y'all. I, like you, have learned an absolute TON of stuff about umpiring here. This thing gets in your blood, and makes you want to do the very best you can. And, I recongnize there are others who choose not to participate, for whatever reasons they may have. I applaud those who strive to improve, and appreciate those who do a job others wouldn't have the stones to do..

.and Mike, Dragon, you know better than me - Youth Baseball Umpiring and Theatre is redundant...

[mstaylor]

Of course in any volunteer the same people are there for everything. Umpiring is no different, if you have a league that uses nonpaid umpires, many times guys get work whether they are good or not simply for being available.

I have seen this in theatre, boy scouts, sports and many other organizations. In a small league it makes good guys that much more useful teaching others.

[Thunderheads]

I believe all jjb is trying to say is ....

Sometimes it's not about how great you look, or how much you try, or how much you've studied, or how correct you get your calls.

Sometimes it's about dedicating yourself to giving back to the community.

Yes we do that, and yes, we do it well and professionally. However, ...sometimes it doesn't matter,...sometimes it's just the dedication to give-back that holds true.

Don't slam jjb for this, ...this is a great post, and if you really look at what it's saying, ...it's all good.:HS

[Stan W.]

I wouldnt want anyone to show a video of me back in the 80's when I started out umpiring in rural Georgia......

The mesh adjustable Elmer Fudd cap.........the button up Ebelco shirt and polyester coaches shorts (all association issue)..............mechanics?.......none.............rules book?..........none........rules knowledge, only what I had brought with me from playing......

that being said.........It didnt take me long to notice the difference between me and what I called "real umpires"..........

No one came to me to change how i was doing it, no suggestions, no association mandates...........it was just very visible to me...... everyone appreciated me, but it was only because I was available and not because I was any good....

it was clear to me that what I was and what a real umpire is........ was worlds apart...

I remember noticing

they dressed differently....

they knew where to go on plays....

they had signs...

they didnt turn their hats around when they put on the mask.

all the smitty stuff I was guilty of.....its one thing to be that, its another to stay that way in the face of a better example.....

Edited May 18, 2010 by Stan W.
clarity

[ukce1861]

all the smitty stuff I was guilty of.....its one thing to be that, its another to stay that way in the face of a better example.....

Great, great line... It's one thing if you're doing the best you can, but it's another to continue in your mediocrity when you know better - like we see with so many guys out there.

[BrianC14]

I wouldnt want anyone to show a video of me back in the 80's when I started out umpiring in rural Georgia......

The mesh adjustable Elmer Fudd cap.........the button up Ebelco shirt and polyester coaches shorts (all association issue)..............mechanics?.......none.............rules book?..........none........rules knowledge, only what I had brought with me from playing......

that being said.........It didnt take me long to notice the difference between me and what I called "real umpires"..........

No one came to me to change how i was doing it, no suggestions, no association mandates...........it was just very visible to me... everyone appreciated me, but it was only because I was available and not becase I was any good....

it was clear to me that what I was and what a real umpire is was worlds apart...

I remember noticing

they dressed differently....

they knew where to go on plays....

they had signs...

they didnt turn their hats around when they put on the mask.

all the smitty stuff I was guilty of.....its one thing to be that, its another to stay that way in the face of a better example.....

+1

:nod:

[NWA_UMP]

Bottom line...the guys receiving the pot shots on this thread. Does not matter if it is Norm or the guy with Expert Village on You Tube. They both have a PASSION for the game. It does not matter that they are "smitty" or mechanically "unstable" they LOVE what they do. I know most of us on here have had bad habits that we try to break, try to work with guys who are "better" umpires than ourselves in an attempt to learn, read message boards to pick up tips, etc. But I would rather work with a guy who LOVES the game and what they are doing than a guy who is wanting to know when and how much he gets paid in the middle of the second! We have all encountered guys who were in it for the money and don't care about doing it the "right" way. They can make a beautiful day at the park into a living nightmare.

Did I laugh at Norm...you bettcha'. Did I pull it up on my phone at the field to show all the guys so they could laugh too...darn tootin' I did. Then I went onto the field to work with a guy who was clueless on where to go, what to do, didn't give a rip about the game or the kids and listened to him complain after the game about why he doesn't get Varsity High School games assigned. It was horrible and I was embarrassed to be partnered up with him 'cause it made me look bad. Yeah, you might get hung out to dry with Norm on a rotation that he does not know...but you know he is doing his best and CARES about what he is doing....give him a couple pointers and he will work on them. The guys that don't care you can talk to until you are blue in the face...they don't change and still leave you hanging.

Which is worse?

[ehawkins1]

Everybody has to start somewhere, even if that is a small town LL program, with whatever they can get their hands on with the hope of "moving up" - just like the players we are there to officiate.

[mstaylor]

Welcome to the board ehawkins1.

I agree that we all start somewhere. I know I started as a teenager in the league I played in and basically got no training. I got better and moved to 90ft but still had no training. I finally started seeking it on my own, moved to HS and got a ton of training and never looked back. I still do LL but I also do all other levels. I help train LL guys to help them move along faster than I did. This board and others like it certainly are a godsend in that direction.

[1dumbquestion]

Welcome to the board ehawkins1.

I agree that we all start somewhere. I know I started as a teenager in the league I played in and basically got no training. I got better and moved to 90ft but still had no training. I finally started seeking it on my own, moved to HS and got a ton of training and never looked back. I still do LL but I also do all other levels. I help train LL guys to help them move along faster than I did. This board and others like it certainly are a godsend in that direction.

amen!

[DirtyDawg]

I know he's been helping me!

[BrianC14]

Bottom line...the guys receiving the pot shots on this thread. Does not matter if it is Norm or the guy with Expert Village on You Tube. They both have a PASSION for the game. It does not matter that they are "smitty" or mechanically "unstable" they LOVE what they do. I know most of us on here have had bad habits that we try to break, try to work with guys who are "better" umpires than ourselves in an attempt to learn, read message boards to pick up tips, etc. But I would rather work with a guy who LOVES the game and what they are doing than a guy who is wanting to know when and how much he gets paid in the middle of the second! We have all encountered guys who were in it for the money and don't care about doing it the "right" way. They can make a beautiful day at the park into a living nightmare.

Did I laugh at Norm...you bettcha'. Did I pull it up on my phone at the field to show all the guys so they could laugh too...darn tootin' I did. Then I went onto the field to work with a guy who was clueless on where to go, what to do, didn't give a rip about the game or the kids and listened to him complain after the game about why he doesn't get Varsity High School games assigned. It was horrible and I was embarrassed to be partnered up with him 'cause it made me look bad. Yeah, you might get hung out to dry with Norm on a rotation that he does not know...but you know he is doing his best and CARES about what he is doing....give him a couple pointers and he will work on them. The guys that don't care you can talk to until you are blue in the face...they don't change and still leave you hanging.

Which is worse?

I'll say it: they're equally as bad, and for the same reason: if they fail to seek out ways to get better, then they hurt all umpires, and they hurt the game.

Would you want to work with "Norm" game in, and game out? How long would you put up with his 3 Stooges approach to working the plate? Would you try and direct him into better methods? And what would your response be when he says, "But the people love me" ? How many more games would you want to work with a guy like that?

Let me end this by saying that 10 years ago, I trained 6 or 7 young teens to work LL games. The ones that got the most help were the ones who earnestly ASKED for help on mechanics and rules. I could tell right away which ones just wanted their $20 per game. 10 years on, and I learned just the other day that 2 of those 6 or 7 are still working for the local league, and one is the UIC (at 22 years old). The kids that didn't care about getting better fell quickly by the wayside.

Edited May 18, 2010 by BrianC14

[Dragon29]

I believe all jjb is trying to say is ....

Sometimes it's not about how great you look, or how much you try, or how much you've studied, or how correct you get your calls.

Sometimes it's about dedicating yourself to giving back to the community.

Yes we do that, and yes, we do it well and professionally. However, ...sometimes it doesn't matter,...sometimes it's just the dedication to give-back that holds true.

Don't slam jjb for this, ...this is a great post, and if you really look at what it's saying, ...it's all good.

T-heads - Please don't get me wrong - I wasn't slamming jjb for this, not at all. I was agreeing w/him but trying to explain how/why something like that gets made fun of on this site. Since I posted, others have said it better, but I was not slamming jjb.

[jjb]

I don't consider myself slammed

[catoblue]

This is kind of a cool thread. All of this discussion brings back a lot of memories of how I have progressed over the years.

Once upon a time (like 30 years ago), I was a teenage "Norm".

Some High School buddies of mine were working LL Seniors games and told me they need more umps AND that I could make an easy $5/game. So, I think Why not?

Well first off, I am given a rule book to read - I do. Then I take a test - I pass, then I get my first game.

Here I am behind the plate in maroon & white sweats, white high-top Nike's (late '70's), shin guards outside my pants, balloon protector, backward hat under my mask.

Training? - read the rule book

I did the whole season like that - didn't know any better, but really enjoyed it and once I had started calling the Senior's games, I started getting calls to work Majors and Minors games. That summer, I started working Beer-league softball games (unlimited arc), had fun with that too. I got so that I really enjoyed calling ball games. I graduated that year and was off to the Navy for the next six years. When I was fortunate enough to have shore duty, I called men's fast pitch league games on the base. That was fun too.

At this point, everything about me is still pure "Norm".

When I got out, I was away from any kind of baseball/softball for a few years, then I got divorced from my mistake - I mean first wife, and met my "real" wife. We eventually got married and I gained 2 step kids as a bonus. It wasn't long before the younger of the two, my step-son, was old enough to play T ball. I signed up to coach, and got asked to join the BoD.

We're a rural community in Upstate NY. Back then, before soccer came to town, we would have a grand total of around 300 kids in the league (T-Ball through Majors). We have never paid umpires, and much of the time, the umpires were dads pulled from the stands and coerced into calling the games for us.

Uniforms? Mechanics? Rules Knowledge? Nah, not a lot of that to go around. Now of course, most of the BoD also called games when they weren't coaching them, and I was no exception. So I started all over again as another "Norm" calling LL games. Then, as the season wound down, and Babe Ruth games started, I started seeing "real" umpires down at the complex. These guys are from the local chapter of the state association. I watched them work and really liked what I saw. First off, they showed up in matching uniforms. They used "inside" chest protectors, they made sharp, crisp calls, and they looked like the "real-deal".

Starting the next season, I started wearing a powder blue shirt, to call games. Not professional, but better than before, and I went to a clinic that was held in a neighboring town - learned a ton!!! So now, I'm at least a bit more familiar with how to umpire a baseball game. This goes on for a few years, I somehow become UIC for the league and even hold a couple clinics of my own. I call maybe a half dozen games a season, and then my step-son ages out and I drop off the BoD, done coaching but still call a half dozen games/year.

Three years later, my youngest, starts T-Ball, and I'm all-in again, but now, there are all new people on the BoD, soccer has come to town, so our total registration is around 175 kids spread across all divisions, and our Majors and Minors now travel to neighboring towns instead of everything being in-house. We start sending all of our umpires to clinics every year. By the time my youngest hits Minors, I'm calling my half dozen games a season, along with coaching, and we decide to host our district 10U tourney. A bunch of us go to the district clinic so that we will have enough qualified umps to work the tourney, we all get district Umpire shirts (my first real Umpire shirt!!!) and are told to wear them with navy blue pants - which we all do. At the same time, the league buys it's first pair of inside chest protectors, which we are all to use.

Now we're all starting to look like real umps and call games like real umps. This goes on for a few years. Fast forward to last year. We've now got 3 or 4 of us (including me) that call games on a regular basis, and I'm getting ready to hang up my coaching had for good as my youngest ages out. Now I'm thinking more about umpiring, start reading up, searching for information on the web. I find the forums at ABUA, and bump into Warren, who invites me to join here. Meanwhile, I'm buying my own equipment on eBay, get my first "real" umpire uniform, and start soaking up everything I can about umpiring - from rules, to mechanics, to situations. My ultimate goal of joining the association and getting "big boy" games is still a couple years off, until my youngest boy graduates and is done with all of his sports, because once I commit to working games for the association, I want to be available when I'm needed instead of just on the rare occasion where I have nothing else going on. Ultimately, I want to be one of those "real" umpires that I saw during those BR games 15 years ago.

I'm a work in progress. I have gone from many years of being "Norm", to being something better, and will eventually get to the point where I want to be. To bridge that time, I'll continue calling LL games, getting experience, working to improve my knowledge, mechanics, and skills.

Until I saw the association guys at the BR game, I had no clue that umpires outside MLB were any different than I was. Bottom line is that you can be "Norm" for a long time, like I was - not because you don't strive to improve yourself, but simply due to not knowing any better.