What do you forget when you do the plate? There's always something

[Kevin Finnerty]

I prepare for a regular game for at least an hour-plus, and usually 90 minutes. I mean parked, mats down, table & chair out and ready to start the ritual a full hour and a half before the game.

But when I lay everything out, there is sometimes an important item missing or forgotten, which is why I lay it all out on mats and tables. Usually it's something relatively minor: scorecard wallet, stopwatch, jock. (Sometimes you have it but you don't bring it to the field with you.)

Monday it was my compression leggings (didn't make it out of dryer). So I was stuck with only my compression shorts, neoprene thigh sleeves, neoprene knee sleeves and snowboarder socks. How did I hang?

Other times a critical item was forgotten. Once it was a cup. (I adjusted my stance big time. I used that pro-school-hand-over-the-groin one. I also did not stay down on the bouncers.) One time I was doing a three-man college intra-squad game (a.k.a. three-man practice), and I had no belt. So we all had to go with black jackets, so that we could wear them over our slacks, and @ssho!e's belt problem could get solved. (It remains the only time I was ever "that guy.") Well, naturally, despite its being in the fall, and despite our being fairly near the ocean, it was unseasonably warm, with no breeze. So I had these two guys—both close friends of mine—giving me the grief from 100 feet: The third base guy was tugging at his collar and fanning himself and blowing air; the plate guy was tugging at his sleeves and staring down at me. I felt like I was working with John Belushi and Adam Sandler.

Well, now I have over a half a dozen friggin' belts. I have a belt in the main bag, a belt in the back-up bag, a belt in the car and a belt on the hanger of every pair of slacks. (I'll tell you one thing, you rotate eight or nine belts, and they look new forever.) It can't possibly ever happen again.

So what do you forget? Or what have you forgotten? Or what has a partner forgotten? There's seemingly always something.

...

[cardinalfan]

I used to have problems after my stuff would go through the laundry. I had two boys who played ball, and many times I had to search for my stuff in their rooms. After my older son got married, I converted his bedroom into a home office and have all my sports memorabilia there. After a game, I now take my Diamond bag in there. I also have all my umpire/referee gear in the closet in that room. I keep my laundry in a wet clothes bag and send it though the washer together. Then it goes back to my room, where I can put it back in the bag. This organized system has helped a great deal. Who says the empty nest thing doesn't have advantages?

Over 17+ years, I've forgotten just about everything at one time or another. The only thing I forgot this year was minor - but embarrassing. I got to the plate and realized I didn't have my plate brush. We had dressed in a gym locker room, but it was across the parking lot, so I asked the young guy I was with to go get it between the plate conference and first pitch. He complied, but everyone was ready to start before he got back. Everyone except me & the coaches thought he had to go to the restroom!

I had a partner who showed up once without a cup. He had his jock, but couldn't find his cup. I had an extra (always) and handed it to him. He refused and said he had done this before. So he took the throat guard off his mask and stuck it down in his pants! Luckily no shots that day!

[Stan W.]

Like cardinal says, over the years, I have forgotten just about everything that there is...

I got to the plate one night and just before every first pitch I have this habit of tapping each shin guard with the heel of my plate shoes......but this night....I had forgotten to put on shin guards...

I have forgotton my cup...and used the modified scissors/cover the boys hand stance....

Base shoes......I had taken them out to polish them, and boy did they look nice and shiny sitting on the kitchen table at home......did the game wearing +POS hightop plate shoes......felt like herman munster clomping around out there....

jackets/shirts and belts.......all of those...and like Kevin, I settle the problem by buying extras.....so now I look like a traveling peddler.....I can outfit 2 full crews with unis and gear....I can give each umpire, coach, team mom and the hotdog vendors their own indicator....I can now go all week without washing a single item....pants, shirts, compression shorts, socks .....you name it......I got it in spades....

Edited July 15, 2010 by Stan W.
clarity and spelling

[JaxRolo]

I had a partner who showed up once without a cup. He had his jock, but couldn't find his cup. I had an extra (always) and handed it to him. He refused and said he had done this before. So he took the throat guard off his mask and stuck it down in his pants! Luckily no shots that day!

That is too funny!!!

What is worse a Shot to the Throat or a shot to the :shrug:

[boyinr]

Earlier this season I got a call from the Assignor to go do a local game on short notice. I hurridly grabbed my gear and uniforms and beat feet to the field. When I got there and started to get dressed I was surprised to learn that I had grabbed my light grey poly wool dress/work pants instead of my heather grey umpire pants. Thankfully SWMBO was home and in a mood to bail me out.

[Umpire in Chief]

I too have forgotten virtually everything.

Just this week I went on the field wearing my dress socks from work rather than my UA baseball socks which I left at the bottom of the bannister so I wouldn't forget in the morning.

I've forgotten my base shoes and have worn my dress/work shoes. The wife nearly had a heart attack when I told her I wore my Kenneth Cole's on the baseball field.

Forgotten the cup a few times, but now I have 3 in the bag and 1 in the glove compartment just in case.

Forgotten a belt a time or two, but wore my more narrow dress belt for work. But now I have 2.

I forgot my hat once. Luckily my partner had an extra which actually fit me.

Went to a pair of 3 man games and had to switch cars at the last minute. Got my shoes and uniforms in the wifes car and left w/o my gear bag. Hey somebody was going to have to do 2 bases????

I don't wear a watch, so I always forget to take a time piece onto the field when needed.

But what bothers me the most are the little things I forget. Gum, sun tan lotion, bug spray, my sunglasses, my cooler. All the things that make me comfortable out there.

[cardinalfan]

Just remembered this one:

I went out last year with too much! I had gotten dressed (and looked sharp!), but right before game time my partner decided he wanted to wear a long sleeve shirt instead of his pullover on the bases.

When he did this, I opted to take my pullover off and wear a plate coat. Trouble is, I didn't take off my ball bags, so I was out there all night with baseballs in my coat pockets wearing ball bags.

I felt a little like a dork, but didn't think anyone would notice. AC for one of the teams used to umpire. About the third inning he came by and said, "You should never run out of foul balls. You've got room for two dozen!"

[Kevin Finnerty]

Things to routinely forget:

At the car: Mouthwash; foot powder; other powder; sunscreen; Power Bar; Gatorade; energy drink; banana; orange, etc.

Take to plate for every game:

The obvious: Chest protector; mask; shins; plate shoes; cap; BELT; ball bags

In the ball bags: Indicator(s) (I carry two); plate brush; stopwatch; lineup card wallet; pencil(s); car keys

And: Stainless steel water bottle; antacid; Sinus Buster (a mild pepper spray that instantly relieves a headache and is an eye-opener when you get a head shot)

[Dragon29]

I, too, have forgotten almost everything at least once each (though, never my cup - I always seem to remember that handy little item)

The one that bugged me the most is when I forgot the sportsband I use to keep my glasses in place. I was BU and spent the whole game pushing my glasses back into place - very annoying. Once, when they came off completely, I had to catch them on the run and make the call w/them in my hand. (Fortunately, not a close call!) I now have a spare sportsband in the bag I keep all my small 'spare' stuff in. (pen, lineup card holder, shoelaces, indicator, plate brush, etc...)

[Kevin Finnerty]

I forgot to include insect repellent!

[kwiggie]

I forgot to include insect repellent!

That is the one thing that I never forget during the SpringSummer due to the fact that the mesquito might as well be the "State Bird" here in WI during the season.

[Kevin Finnerty]

The gnats are out in force this year!

Good grief. My wife gave me this organic, Earth-friendly stuff; it didn't work, of course, so I also hid some Off in my supply kit. :hopmad:

[Stan W.]

I have a few fields that I do games at that flat out require industrial insect repellant.....one which is down by a river, has mosquitos that can carry away small children and pets...

The other two have swarms of gnats...........but one spray of OFF on the brim of my cap stops most of it, but done even think of forgetting to use it..

[Dragon29]

I forgot to include insect repellent!

I've tried that, but the Assistant Coaches don't seem affected by it, so I stopped.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I've tried that, but the Assistant Coaches don't seem affected by it, so I stopped.

You didn't use the Earth-friendly crap my wife pushes, did you?

[T-Rav]

You didn't use the Earth-friendly crap my wife pushes, did you?

Coaches are not from Earth, therefore they are not affected by it unfortunately. :TD: