How do you leave the field ?

[Pete Peterson Sr]

Some umpires subscribe to the "let's leave past the winning team" theory, while others come and go through the same gate. How do you gentlemen handle it ? Personally, I enter, and exit, through the same gate. I have nothing to hide after a game, and I don't duck or slink away from anyone. I'd love to hear other's takes on this topic.

[Umpire in Chief]

It all depends.

1st choice a neutral entrance enter and leave

2nd choice if there are no issues - I use the closest exit doesn't matter who won or lost.

3rd choice if there is an issue leave out the winners dugout.

[Mike Prince]

Usually in and out through the same gate

[cyclonehokiece]

It all depends.

1st choice a neutral entrance enter and leave

2nd choice if there are no issues - I use the closest exit doesn't matter who won or lost.

3rd choice if there is an issue leave out the winners dugout.

Also, if there is an exit that makes it so I have to walk through less crowd, I will do that as well. Neutral entrances are great, especially outfield ones, because it makes anyone who follows you they appear as the aggressor.

[csabo17]

Whatevers easiest, or closest to my car. Not afraid to walk through the losing team if need be.

[NCAAump2]

For me, I prefer a neutral entrance. Otherwise, I'll use the dugout which is closest to where I parked, I don't care which team it is. Most of the time, they're out shaking hands or having their post-game pow-wow in the outfield when I'm walking through.

[kylejt]

I teach my Junior umpires to go through the winning teams side. Umpire 101 stuff.

Me, it depends. I ususally have pretty casual games, so it doesn't matter. If not, you may want that more shot at getting an EJ (just for fun). I did that once, with some loudmouth that I knew needed to get one more parting shot. He didn't fail me, nor I him. Didn't want to do it. Felt I owed it to him.

[NCAAump2]

In addition to my response above, I like to leave the field as fast as possible. No sticking around or talking and all that crap. Head to the car and crack open a road soda. :D

[csabo17]

Why leave through the winning dugout? What if you just blew a call in the last inning that kept a rally alive or something crazy like that? They still won but probably arent to happy with you.

Like was posted earlier, most time they are out shaking hands or pow wow. So no ones gonna be in either dugout. I normally always walk to home dugout win or lose to give the balls back if im behind the plate. If I happen to pass either coach going off the field I will normally give a handshake and say good luck the rest of the season win or lose. I dont go out of my way to do it.

[csabo17]

In addition to my response above, I like to leave the field as fast as possible. No sticking around or talking and all that crap. Head to the car and crack open a road soda.

Why wait, i wear combo pants in the field so I can chug one down between innings. 2 front pockets, 2 back pockets, one in the hand, and one im front shirt pocket. 6 innings, 6 beers.

Totaly jk

[umpcoachfather]

Same one I came in at.

[Mike Prince]

I will avoid a dugout if at all possible and look for a service gate for both ingress and egress.

[Stan W.]

probably 90 percent of the time its field specific..........taking in account where we park....we strive to tell our umpires the best place at the ballparks to park, its where they can get dressed, have tthe pregame in relative calm and quiet and enter/exit with ease...

The best are the ones with a neutral entrance, usually in center or right field gates....we park beyond, enter and exit together, dress/pregame/postgame in private....

We have several that there is only one practical entrance...and its throught the dugout adjacent to the parkling lot....no choice...good or bad....

We have a few that are nightmares........(mostly summer ball)....no choices, right between the stands, into one communal lot..........and to get paid you have to go to the concession stand, which involves more.....

[johnnyg08]

I don't care, but when I leave, I leave quickly, likely through the gate I came in.

I'm man enough to walk through or past the losing team. I can't control how other people choose to deal with defeat.

[Dragon29]

Our association instructs us to leave on the winning side (not necessarily a dugout; depends upon the field) I used to think it was a c-s move to do that all the time, so I didn't. I learned. All it took was one ambush by an upset coach (not a big deal, but unnecessary) to convince me that going out on the winning side is just part of not troubling trouble. That being said, if there's a neutral exit, I'll always take that first. And, I do get the Hell outta Dodge.

[Welpe]

Whatever gets me to the parking lot faster. I've gone through the losing side before because going the other way would mean having to endure a whole gauntlet of fans.

[csabo17]

Its simple, dont blow any calls and you can leave however you want!!!!

And remember you only have to be able to outrun your partner!

[sdix00]

Funny story and a little off-topic.

My son worked the bases with one of our new local guys, who is also a first year umpire in our HS unit. He is very laid back.

His zone is big and he is pissing both sides off equally, so good job there I guess.

PU and BU exit through the winner's dugout and walk in front of the bleachers toward the scorebook where the winning fans are cheering their team's victory.

Our PU smiles, takes his cap off and waves to the 'cheering' crowd, drawing a laugh.

PU signs the book and heads past the other crowd which is booing him. So, he smiles, takes his cap off and waves to the booing crowd, drawing another laugh.

It was classic. I wish I could do that.

[Mudder]

_{I sometimes follow the winning team/losing team thing, but I ump for only 1 association, so when visting teams come in they know the game umps are from the home team's association. So I try to avoid any hint of favoritism to my association, so I enter and exit through the visiting team's dugout almost always.}

_{In addition when I enter & exit through the Home team's dugout I tend to know some of the players/parents/coaches, etc, so they start talking to you, laughing, etc... so I don't like the visting team and parents to see this... again just trying to avoid any hint of bias. Because I hear it a lot the other way, when I talk to coaches/players/parents from my association when they visit other teams parks "abc's umps are such homers, etc"}

[UmpJM]

I leave the field expeditiously, with my partner, and via the most direct route to the locker roo... I mean parking lot.

JM

[bam]

Isn't this common sense, 1 + 1 stuff? You have a choice of exits, you know what went down during the game, and hence, know what could potentially be a problem? I umpire at dozens of fields, some of which I know, some I don't. Game ends, you look around and choose wisely. This isn't rocket surgery, is it?