[TexBlue]

Before the Spring Showers washed us out ( 5 1/2 inches in 2 days ) I had a rather unsettling thing happen in the last game Friday night. I'm calling with a guy who I've know for about 7 years. He called plate 1st game, I got it the 2nd one. He started the game without me and had gone over his plate speech before I got there. That irritated me, as I was in the park, he knew it he started the game 15 minutes early. This was the 1st one of the night. Anyway, that's another can of worms.

In the 2nd game, I tried to go over the mechanics with him. He told me OK and walked off. In the 3rd inning of the game, he is in B position. The batter hits a rope down the 1st base line. I'm about 15 feet down the line watching it land just inside the line, fair, when I hear my partner yell " Foul Ball!!!" Now, I gotta be honest, my first instinct was to try to find a place to hide. My second instinct was to just go ahead and put him out of his misery. After the 1st base coach quit talking to me, I sent him on to the BU who told him he saw it clearly and it was a foul ball. That was his 2nd mistake and his 1st lie. After he almost threw the coach and I went and settled things down, I told him that was my call in every governing body's umpire's manual I had ever read (which is only 3). I explained that I had the best angle, wasn't watching the lead runner, like he shoulda been and I felt I was fully qualaified to fulfill all my obligations as a PU. If he didn't feel this was so, he could leave the field and go talk to the UIC and ask for another partner. He still thinks he was right. I've only done this with 1 other umpire in the last 9 years, but I've talked to the UIC and told him I refuse to call with him anymore. He makes his own rules up, doesn't know the real rules, flirts with the adult coaches and wants to be the show, instead of regulating the game, which should be the show.

OK, I've gotten rid of my frustations, at least until I start thinking about him again.