Ump's ordeal shows sad state of sports - FOXSports.com

[Umpire-Empire Reporter]

Ump's ordeal shows sad state of sports

FOXSports.com

He enrolled at the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, the Harvard of umpiring. He graduated No. 1 in his class. He joined the minor league system and began ...

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[mazzamouth]

this is a bunch of crap.. Bill is a good guy.. I hope that manger soesn't get to work in the Independent league again.

[Umpire in Chief]

I'm glad to see the rest of the umps in the league threatening to walk out if the league didn't take action.

[Stan W.]

this was beyond despicable............glad to see the support he received from his fellow Umpires in his league......

there comes a time when we have to move beyond this type of stuff..........the time has come.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Stan W.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I went out with my crew chief and saw Billy's crew work last night at Fullerton, not knowing that it was him we were going to see. The two other members of his crew were two of my instructors at a clinic last fall, and we wanted to see them work and try to soak up whatever we could after the game.

So we heard this whole story firsthand. It was an amazing and gripping tale. The entire ordeal wound up making the crew more unified, and the league more accepting of Billy.

And the young man at the center of it is as nice a guy as you would ever want to meet. He was also as knowledgeable and as generous with his knowledge as any umpire you might ever meet.

It was a unique experience. It even overshadowed the appearance of Mark Pryor, who threw the lights out in the eighth inning for the Orange County club.