Best moment of the season

[jkumpire]

(Mods, move this if it is in the wrong place)

So far it's been a good season, but not great. Got a lot of work to do on my body to get more good games next season. Had some real disappointments of the political kind (if you know what I mean). But then there was yesterday, one of the resons why I umpire.

Game is ugly, like snow on a July day. V go out in 1st on 5 pitches, home team scores 5 runs. V gets handed 2 runs in TOP 2nd, H gets 7. Zone is now as wide as I-70.

Game is 20-6 bottom 4. Dad with ipad scorebook for H comes to se me. "We got 17 *************** hitting, then ......"

Me: "Are they hitting this inning?"

ipaddad: "Yes, and 17 is a special needs kid."

Me. "Gotya:" Didn't care about the other two, we'll take care of it.

I go to V F2: "Got a special needs kid leading off, no garbage."

F2: "No problem, thanks for the heads-up."

17 comes up to hit. Pitch one is fast ball down center of plate,waist high, swing and miss. Pitch 2 is fastball (this is a JV kid I think) shoulder height. He fouls it off. These aren't lob pitches, the F1 and F2 are trying to get him out, he is being treated like any other hitter from all I see. .

SB game is completed, and both teams are watching from the stands. Loud cheer from all over the park, this making contact is a first for him.

Pitch 3 is fast ball on outside third. Bing! Kid hits hard ground ball past F5 to left for Base hit! Yes, F5 didn't move, but so what? Everybody there stands and cheers for something like 20 seconds.

Then something better happens, Next batter flies to LF. 3rd batter hits single to RCF, 17 gets to 2B. Then batter 4 doubles down the LF line, and #17 scores with a slide at the plate! After he got on base it was legit HS Baseball, both teams playing hard. 17 has a big smile on his face, His team violated the bench rule by running out on the field to greet him, and for a little while, all is right with the world.

17's last name is the same as a young guy I had in my new umpire's class a few years ago. Kid is a great umpire, went to Harry's but didn't quite make it, and now lives in the opposite corner of the state from me. I wish he could have seen his brother or cousin last night. For me, it changed the whole day around. Did a college game the other day, and my partner and I were talking. He said, "how can you do HS ball, the game is terrible these days?" He's right, in the area I work the ball this year has been pretty bad. Then I got my answer last night.

Baseball is the greatest game in the world, bar none.

[jkumpire]

ttt

[24sdad]

Good stuff JK!

[NCAAump2]

That's awesome. Glad you got to experience that!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Great story!

[umpcoachfather]

Great example for when we describe Spirit of the rule Vs. Rule of the game

[Thunderheads]

what a way to start my Friday!! Nice stuff there!!!!!!

[Mike Prince]

Excellent story.

[Stan W.]

outstanding........I like hearing these things when we all know that the HS level is where 99% of all baseball players play their last real baseball games........an event that Im sure will last in everyones memory......

[mstaylor]

I don't understand guys that feel they are better than the games they work. I have worked from semi pro to 9/10 LL. I enjoy each level for a different reason. Sure, kids at the 9/10 level play bad baseball, but they are learning, giving it their all and it is important to them. This is true at every level. I have worked some excellent HS baseball, and I have worked some absolutely awful college.

I did the same in soccer. I worked U8 games and college, it was all fun. Many of the senior guys didn't like working girl's varsity. I took all I could get. I never have felt a level was below my skills. The younger ages desire good officials too.

[NFUA_44]

I don't understand guys that feel they are better than the games they work. I have worked from semi pro to 9/10 LL. I enjoy each level for a different reason. Sure, kids at the 9/10 level play bad baseball, but they are learning, giving it their all and it is important to them. This is true at every level. I have worked some excellent HS baseball, and I have worked some absolutely awful college.

I did the same in soccer. I worked U8 games and college, it was all fun. Many of the senior guys didn't like working girl's varsity. I took all I could get. I never have felt a level was below my skills. The younger ages desire good officials too.

This is one of the main reasons I love training new guys and going out to do games with them at different levels. The lower levels will teach you some things that you may see once in a career from HS on up, and nothing matches the look on a 9 year olds face that gets their first hit! Combine that with being able to work with a new umpire and help bring them along and there is no greater fun in what we do.

I love getting my HS and JUCO schedules in the spring and getting geeked up for what is coming in the new season, but that's a different thing in comparison to watching players and umpires grow up in the game, the same way I did.

ON EDIT: BTW, great story jk, glad you got to experience it, and thanks for sharing it with us!

Edited May 27, 2012 by NFUA_44

[mstaylor]

I agree 100% NFUA.

[Jocko]

Similar situation. This game counted for both teams as they were tied to win the league championship (dixie youth). A fantastic coach drafted a special needs kid who hasn't been on base all year. TOP of the 3rd, 2-2 ball game. "Big Nate" comes to bat bases empty. Coach comes to me tells me his plan. I grinned and agreed. 4 pitches WAY out of the zone. Take your base. Nate grinning like a cheshire cat. F1 steps off the mound and launches the ball to center field. Nate is off and running, I shadow. As he touches 2b, F8 throws to the backstop. 3BC is pinwheeling his arms like crazy yelling for Nate to run. F2 launches the ball back to F8. Nate, grinning like nobody's business, touches 3b and is headed home. When he gets there, everyone is yelling "Slide! Slide!l. Nate slides in safe at home. His team ran out cheering and clapping. Parents on both teams give standing ovation. It was very proud moment to Nate, and I shook Bill's (DHC) hand and told him how very classy of him. He gave up the lead in an important game for the sake of making 1 young man and his parents very happy. I could tell you the outcome of the game, but does it really matter? THAT'S baseball!