Well, this was a first....game suspended due to (wait for it)....

[scrounge]

So I'm plate umpire for a city league varsity game (not the greatest quality of play, lower than many suburban schools' JV level). We're cruising along, nice night, pretty windy, when all of a sudden a police officer starts strolling in from the parking lot in deep center field (no fences, sandlot quality of field). We halt play and walk out to find out what was going on.

Turns out that the high winds made a roof landing at the hospital next door impossible. And guess what their alternate landing zone is? Yep, our center field. We were being shut down due to an incoming medical helicopter.

The cop is nice but firm that we had to stop now (not that we argued in the slightest) as the bird was 5 mins out and he had to set out the lights for the landing zone. Sure enough, a few minutes later the MedFlight chopper circles around to survey the LZ and comes in low over home plate, alighting in deep center, about 450-500 ft away. They evacuate the patient but the cop says they won't be lifting off for about 20 mins to a half hour. The cop said the pilot put down as far as he could so we could continue - we weren't going to but it seemed far enough away that no one was likely to hit it that far into a stiff wind. So we resumed! With a special ground rule of course - any ball anywhere near the chopper was dead, naturally.

About a half hour later, we had another momentary delay as he powered up and took off. How I deeply regret not having my camera phone on me. I doubt I see that again.

[Kevin Finnerty]

The old suspend-the-ballgame-so-a-chopper-can-land trick. That's the second time this week!

[Replacematt]

When I was in Iraq, playing softball, I hit a ball straight up that hit a UAV on approach.

[yawetag]

When I was in Iraq, playing softball, I hit a ball straight up that hit a UAV on approach.

Dammit! Do you know how much I paid for that plane?

[Replacematt]

When I was in Iraq, playing softball, I hit a ball straight up that hit a UAV on approach.

Dammit! Do you know how much I paid for that plane?

Nothing. It was Australian. (Well, you probably paid for the R&D...)

[sdix00]

So I'm plate umpire for a city league varsity game (not the greatest quality of play, lower than many suburban schools' JV level). We're cruising along, nice night, pretty windy, when all of a sudden a police officer starts strolling in from the parking lot in deep center field (no fences, sandlot quality of field). We halt play and walk out to find out what was going on.

Turns out that the high winds made a roof landing at the hospital next door impossible. And guess what their alternate landing zone is? Yep, our center field. We were being shut down due to an incoming medical helicopter.

The cop is nice but firm that we had to stop now (not that we argued in the slightest) as the bird was 5 mins out and he had to set out the lights for the landing zone. Sure enough, a few minutes later the MedFlight chopper circles around to survey the LZ and comes in low over home plate, alighting in deep center, about 450-500 ft away. They evacuate the patient but the cop says they won't be lifting off for about 20 mins to a half hour. The cop said the pilot put down as far as he could so we could continue - we weren't going to but it seemed far enough away that no one was likely to hit it that far into a stiff wind. So we resumed! With a special ground rule of course - any ball anywhere near the chopper was dead, naturally.

About a half hour later, we had another momentary delay as he powered up and took off. How I deeply regret not having my camera phone on me. I doubt I see that again.

ALWAYS, no, NEVER, no ALWAYS carry your phone on the field!

[yawetag]

Nothing. It was Australian. (Well, you probably paid for the R&D...)

I'm much calmer now.

[mstaylor]

I certainly never had a helicopter land on one of ball fields but years ago I was on the pit crew for a pro stock funny car at Eastern Nationals. It was in PA and they were using a runway at the airport. It had the full set up, start line trees, stands pit areas, the whole bit. In the middle of the day they announced a slight delay but not the reason. All of a sudden a plane lands. They went back to racing like nothing happened. I believe it was at York.

[rulebook]

We have games interrupted for helicopters about once each year. The field is the closest landing spot for helicopters that have to rescue hikers that get lost or injured on nearby trails.

[Rich Ives]

From a memoir article of mine:

The Helicopter Game (Mid 1970’s) I arrived at the park for my Owego Bowl American League (minors) game. My players rushed up to tell me that the coach of Mac’s Mufflers, our opponent and a team with zero wins, had promised his kids a ride in his helicopter if they won. I looked around, and their coach wasn’t even there. “What’s up?!†I think. As the game gets under way, the Mac’s Mufflers team is playing the game of their lives. One player even made a lunging/diving catch in the outfield. And still no Mac’s coach. Mac’s pulls out to a good lead. About 7:00 or so, we hear a roar and the familiar whup-whup of a helicopter. The coach is here. He’s actually brought his helicopter! He lands on the adjacent North Elementary School field, and strides to his dugout to the cheers of his team. We’re DOOMED! Mac’s gets their first win of the year. A local reporter puts it out on the AP wire. WHY ME?

[BT_Blue]

could be worse... could be postponed due to plane crash

[boyinr]

You mean like this?

[BT_Blue]

I knew someone had the link... I just didnt feel like trying to find it. Thanks.

[Umpire in Chief]

Nothing as dramatic as above, but Sunday night I had a transformer go out in a blaze (albeit short) of glory. It was TOP of the 2nd and maybe 12 pitches thrown the entire game. It was a quick night.

[mjr_2013]

You mean like this?

R2 is out for abandonment, correct?

:smachhead:

[umpire78]

So I'm plate umpire for a city league varsity game (not the greatest quality of play, lower than many suburban schools' JV level). We're cruising along, nice night, pretty windy, when all of a sudden a police officer starts strolling in from the parking lot in deep center field (no fences, sandlot quality of field). We halt play and walk out to find out what was going on.

Turns out that the high winds made a roof landing at the hospital next door impossible. And guess what their alternate landing zone is? Yep, our center field. We were being shut down due to an incoming medical helicopter.

The cop is nice but firm that we had to stop now (not that we argued in the slightest) as the bird was 5 mins out and he had to set out the lights for the landing zone. Sure enough, a few minutes later the MedFlight chopper circles around to survey the LZ and comes in low over home plate, alighting in deep center, about 450-500 ft away. They evacuate the patient but the cop says they won't be lifting off for about 20 mins to a half hour. The cop said the pilot put down as far as he could so we could continue - we weren't going to but it seemed far enough away that no one was likely to hit it that far into a stiff wind. So we resumed! With a special ground rule of course - any ball anywhere near the chopper was dead, naturally.

About a half hour later, we had another momentary delay as he powered up and took off. How I deeply regret not having my camera phone on me. I doubt I see that again.

You are right, you probably WON'T see that again. I had a game in The Netherlands back in the early 80s where we almost stopped a game-in-progress due to fog. On the field as the base umpire, I could NOT see any of the outfielders. We stopped the game and threw them some fly balls. Every one was caught. I walked off the field and went to the TOP of the first base stands and, lo and behold, the fog was field-level only. We decided that play should continue. First and only time I've had to deal with fog.

[umpire78]

Nothing as dramatic as above, but Sunday night I had a transformer go out in a blaze (albeit short) of glory. It was TOP of the 2nd and maybe 12 pitches thrown the entire game. It was a quick night.

I had a LL Minor League game back in 2005 on a new field. Things were going smoothly until the last half of the 5th inning. It was a blowout and the losing team manager said: "We'll finish the inning and stop the game." So, I'm standing there, facing the infield and suddenly, I hear: "ZZZZAAAAPPPPP!" I turn around and the transformer is giving off sparks left and right. Then, the ballfield goes dark. Standing there, I said: "Ball game." NO argument ensued.