with everything else over by yesterday, only had a couple of middle school games left, I was actually kind of looking forward to the game, because it was two of our better programs, and both teams most likely had more than a couple of travel team kids on them, so the likelihood of it being relatively quick and painless was pretty strong. Also, let me set the site up - two fields, a modified (all NYS middle school sports are called 'modified') baseball field, which is at the bottom of a berm, and a modified softball field at the top of the berm. The softball field is the furthest from the parking lot. (one of our men's leagues actually plays on the baseball field, and its a pain in the a** to go down and up that hill in your gear)
SO- I actually get to the site fairly early, and one of the baseball guys is there, and we know each other from various parking lots, so we casually chat about what lousy weather we've had this season and other stuff while we are waiting for our partners and the visiting teams (both from the same school and traveling together). A guy arrives with a t shirt from the visiting school whose DD is on the team, but he is also coach of one of their travel teams, so we start shooting the stuff, and he says that they are haven't left the school , waiting for their bus - at 3:15 for a 4 pm start (20 minute travel time). And I am STILL looking for my partner, who is supposed to work the plate. The bus finally arrives, no partner, so I start throwing my gear on. I start to go over to the field, and guess who I see - behind the backstop...full set of gear on? He comes over to me, and i quietly start to remind him that he is supposed to find his partner before going to the field, and he starts to go off on ME - how he was asssigned the plate, blah blah blah... I just turn around, hustle back to my car, strip the gear off, and hustle back to the field, just in time for the conference. Partner does ok with the sportsmanship and jewelry warnings (mandatory), but then...starts lecturing the kids on not obstructing runners on the basepaths..
I know then I am in for a long game..
So it starts: Cap on backwards....hands behind the back...LOUD swinging strike verbalizations...LOUD counts after EVERY pitch...LOUD foul calls - even on balls straight back into the fence..... T1was actually fine, then the visiting tram comes out - we are supposed to do inbetween iniings somewhere in shallow RF, but we all know with modified/JV that the entire team comes off the bench to do the warm ups, so I park myself behind the dead ball line watching. Then it happens: kid throws the ball a little off, it tips off the other kids glove, bounces and hits me right in my shin...OUCH! the kid is mortified, I assure her I am ok, but you see the results below. After that, I'm limping around, doing my best to do my thing. Eventually I have visitors with a runner in 1B, a line drive that rover (modified plays 10) makes a nice catch on, but throws the ball into the dead ball area. Not trusting my partner, I immediately yell, "DEAD BALL, RUNNER GETS 3RD!" As soon as I limp over by the SS,I hear it from where the home fans are: "BLUE - ONE BASE ON THE THROW!" I ignore it - then again, "BLUE - ONE BASE!!" At that point, I didn't care - I point down to the baseball field, and go "Sir, maybe down there, but not here!" Game gets over, I get myself home, and find I forgot to put a beer in the fridge to chiill...
Coda: I was supposed to have a game today, but its pouring rain, so when my assignor calls, I just answer the phone with "Heather, you as ready for this season to end as me?" and Heather, who's been doing the baseball/softball assigning almost as long as I have been working, just laughs, and goes, "YES!!!
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