Do you do anything different in this situation?

[Umpire in Chief]

Suppose you are doing a youth game, PONY/LL, and you have a batter who is noticeably physically or mentally disabled at bat. Do you change your strike zone?

I do as long as the kid is going to make an attempt to swing. If he's trying then his strike zone is now tea cup size. If he's standing there to get a walk his zone will be about the same close pitches will go his way.

I had a Pony game once and a mentally and physically disabled kid came to bat and I'd seen him around since probably Mustang level. He rarely swung but would swing freely every so often, no matter where the pitch was. A few teams would throw him junk trying to get him aboard. He would still strike out occasionally, it all depended if he was swinging. I don't remember him ever making contact, even a foul.

This game was a bit different. We had runners on and he comes up to bat. He swung at a pitch which was perfectly down the middle and actually nailed it for what otherwise would have been a double scoring 2 runs. The moment the ball pinged off the bat everybody on both sides was screaming. You would have thought he'd hit a walk off home run in game 7 of the world series. When he got to first he was mobbed by players and coaches from both sides. This was his first hit ever. His mother and sister were sobbing. It took a few minuets to continue playing. They gave him the game ball just as you would if he'd hit it out.

It was one of those games where it was just nice to be there.

[UmpJM]

Warren,

Only remember this happening once. Pony League (13/14s) had a kid who was obviously developmentally disabled come to bat. Had some difficulty getting himself properly (i.e., legally) situated in the batter's box. I helped him out with that and was as friendly & low-key about it as I was able.

I don't believe I called a different strike zone for him. As I recall, he put the ball in play in (only) one of his at bats and ended up grounding out. Still got a big ovation from his teammates & fans.

John

[MCLEOD36]

There is now better advice from the two of you guys. Classy to say the least....

[InDaZone]

Suppose you are doing a youth game, PONY/LL, and you have a batter who is noticeably ....this was his first hit ever. His mother and sister were sobbing. It took a few minuets to continue playing. They gave him the game ball just as you would if he'd hit it out.

It was one of those games where it was just nice to be there.

You had the best seat in the house!

and people wonder why we do this.

[PeteBooth]

Suppose you are doing a youth game, PONY/LL, and you have a batter who is noticeably physically or mentally disabled at bat. Do you change your strike zone?

I do as long as the kid is going to make an attempt to swing.

Warren I do not change my strike zone UNLESS it is a blow out game and then I will give a lot of lee-way to a physically or mentally disabled individual.

Where do we "draw the line" meaning suppose a female comes up to bat are you going to give her a different zone then the male particpants? OR

a player on one of the teams is noticeably injured and is hampered up at bat. Are you going to give this person lee-way because they are injured?

We can go on and on

Yes we are all human and it's a really nice story when a physically or mentally disabled person gets their first hit as in your OP but if the game is relatively close then we call the zone the way we have been calling it all game long WHOEVER is at bat because as mentioned where do you "draw the line"

Pete Booth

[Dragon29]

Two seasons ago, I umpired for the LL Challenger Jamboree in our area. (couldn't do it last season; was out of town) I never had so much fun umpiring a game. Normally, there are either no umpires, or just 'umpire dads' at the Challenger games so it was fun for them to have 'real' umpires there - you could tell they knew it was a special day.

As PU, all I really said was, "Safe" and "Score" but it was a blast watching those kids have the time of their lives. Getting a hit (whether CP or off the tee) was huge for any of them and the (very) few times when a good defensive play was made, the batter was never upset at being called out. Usually, they were watching the defense with as much interest as everyone else and applauding the opposing player.

If you get a chance to watch a Challenger game, I heartily recommend doing so. It's almost as good (better?) than watching your own kid at his first T-Ball game.

[catoblue]

Feel-good story of the year Warren!!!

For me, stike zone is the strike-zone, regardless, but with kids like that, there is a lot of extra leeway I give elsewhere. Things like letting the coach come out and help position the player in the box, or work with him between pitches, letting the Defensive coach go talk to his F1 to tell him to throw some nice fat lobs across the plate... stuff that we don't do for the kids that don't have a disability. Is it really following the rules? Nope. Is it the right thing to do? You bet!

[Mr Umpire]

To each their own in this situation. I have changed my zone slightly. I will not call the questionable or close ones on Strike 3. I will give the pitcher the first 2 like normal in hopes the kid will swing so I do not have to call them on him. After the first 2, The pitcher will give the hitter a chance for the next 3 pitches. If the pitcher has run it 3-2, then I will give the close one back so he doesn't give a cheap walk. Most of the time, the pitcher realizes it and gives the third one down the middle to give the hitter a chance before it gets to 3-2.

This is situational for me though. Doing rec ball, I have no problem with doing it. Doing higher caliber of ball, then no, I won't change the zone.

I don't think anyone is right or wrong on how they handle this. And, shouldn't be criticized one way or the other about it. I know we are not to give advantages or change things during the course of the game. But, this is a situation where being human takes over more than being official.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Mr Umpire

[catoblue]

, this is a situation where being human takes over more than being official.

BINGO!!!!