Sometimes, it is just better to not say it outloud

[cyclonehokiece]

9u Consolation Bracket Championship game, I am BU.  Through the course of the game, we have a pitcher take a real screamer to the arm (left game, found out he was ok afterward), a shortstop take a line drive to the knee (becomes EH), and another pitcher take one to shin (becomes EH).  All on the same team.  My partner, right when he is going to put the ball back in play after the third one, says "OK, now no one else get hurt." First pitch is fouled off of PU's cup.  I couldn't help myself, I am laughing on the infield.  As we are walking to the car after the game, he says "should of just kept my trap shut, I jinxed myself."

[Jasper_C]

I had a varsity coach do a very similar thing in the 7th inning of a not so close game. Bot 6 ends on a force play slide rule violation, coach comes over and discusses the call as his team is warming up. First batter hits a two hopper to F6 who plant and ... never throws, some how on a dry field his plant foot never plants and F6 goes down hard. Coach comes out again to attend to his player, right before he leaves he says I guarantee I have to come out again. Next batter strikes out, but after that, during the 3rd batter of the inning R1 steals, F6 covers 2nd and blocks the bag, the ball is way late but because of how he blocked the bag he takes a cleat to the "lower mid-section." For those wondering, yes it should have been obstruction, but the guy was safe anyway and the ball was recovered by F4 very quickly, no I didn't call it because it wasn't necessary to make R1 safe at 2nd. Coach comes out and as he jogs past me to F6 he says "told you". I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

[Jocko]

This game is moving right along :shakehead:

[JHSump]

This game is moving right along

Oh yeah, I've heard that.  And, what do think happened after that?

[JHSump]

I was PU on a recent HS varsity game where one of the pitchers was throwing a perfect game.  Nobody wants to say anything about it, of course.  HC for that pitcher approaches me between innings, to get a bat left near HP, and just stands near me for a moment.  I ask if he has some changes.  No, he says, but he's still standing there.  I say, "I don't even want to ask."  He say, "No, you don't, and walks back to the dugout.  But, he might have *thought* it too loudly anyway.  Perfect game lost soon after.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

I had the oddest injury EVER happen in a varsity HS game this season. Fly ball to left-center. F7 and F8 in pursuit. They collide and go down, with F8 face-down and not moving much. Batter-runner goes to 2nd, and I kill it. Coaches and trainers arrive on scene. F8 pulls up his shirt, and lo and behold: Spike cuts ! F7 somehow managed to spike his teammate while on defense. Never think you've seen it all, boys, lol...

[sdix00]

"I haven't had any EJs this year!"

[Jocko]

Cmon kid. Throw a strike.

[treydawgmt]

But, he might have *thought* it too loudly anyway. Perfect game lost soon after.

I was doing a sophomore game a few weeks ago. End of six, 3-1, home team winning. Visiting team is pretty good usually, but hasn't done anything today. 1:05 so far. I KNOW not to say anything, try to not even think it, but the thought does cross my mind for a split second. Top of 7. 13 batters, 8 runs, 2 defensive conferences, 2 pitching changes, 1 offensive conference. 0:45 for the half inning. It was BRUTAL. Still finished at the 2:00 mark. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[alan2703]

Had JV game dead center 7 man blocking sled out there , ask coach if it can be moved coach said no nobody can hit it that far a d even if they did the centerfielder will not get to the ball anyway ,yep a few frames later batter hits a shot and centerfield gets a great jump yes he ran into the sled all the coach could say I KNOW, next time at that filed sled gone. Player luckly only had some bruised ribs.

[Mad Mike]

 

Yeah, lucky....for you! If I were his parents I would be filing a nice little law suit.

 

Talk to any attorney worth his salt and he will tell you (us officials) that we are responsible to have the playing field clear and free of things that could hurt participants. Otherwise, we don't start the game until things are cleared.

 

And don't think some Rat Coach won't accept blame, because even if he does, you can and will probably get named on the lawsuit.    

[Majordave]

Truer words were never spoken Mike. Speaking as a licensed attorney and former Personal Injury practitioner, if I was representing the injured party and parents you can bet your sweet bippy I'm filing suit naming EVERY responsible adult involved in the decision to proceed with that obvious dangerous condition setting there, and the various organizations those adult coaches, administrators, organizers, land owners AND UMPIRES worked for.

Guys and gals, we get paid to be the responsible party, the conscience, the decision-maker in games we work. We can't foresee all possible risks but we should be able to consider and minimize all potential risks. A 7 MAN BLOCKING SLED! Really? It had no place being in the field of olay. If it was against a fence deep in foul or dead ball territory you point it out. Tell them not to play balls that go near that obstacle or have home team post a safety guard nearby to warn others before they run into it.

[blue23ll]

This game is moving right along

9-0, home team ahead, bases loaded,  0 outs, in the top of the 5th. You think to yourself, "hey, one more and we go home".... Game ends 10-9 visitors win, in 12 innings....

[alan2703]

Ok let us fill in some blanks on the blocking sled, was first year umpiring  and basically my second game umpiring.I did make mention of sled and informed coaches to have players avoid the area and we will make it a double on a bounce and home run on a fly it was a shot to get there close to 150 yards out. As far as lawsuits go I have never lived in fear of them or I would stop doing my volunteer EMS/FF where sadly people die while you are trying to save more times than I care to count in the 40 plus years of doing it. And between insurance I have and association has I am pretty well covered and  I even read the policy as insurance is what  I do for a living. As side bar have learned from that incident and years later had a hazard  removed even though" No one ever hit the ball that far" I now use the Murphy's Law cancpt.