[PeteBooth]

I do not know about you, but except for playoffs and tournament games, most fields I work in are not properly lined and are open fields.

In this 1 particular field I was umpiring at, DBT was only about 6 feet on either side (both first and third), and then you had the woods.

Practically every ball that is overthrown goes into DBT, therefore, during Pre-game with the coaches, the Home Coach mentioned they refereed to the first / third base side as a Dead Zone rather than DBT for award purposes, meaning any ball (thrown from no matter where) entering this area would receive only 1 base.

The VT coach did not have a problem with this since his players would be facing the same dilema. I also though that this was fair (ok don't give me that baseball isn't fiar routine - G) given the fact of the close proximatity of DBT relative to the first and third base.

Also, they are paying me, so as long as things are known up
front I personally do not see a problem with this.

Any of you ever hear the term "Dead Zone" or been faced with House rules superceding the rule book.

Thanks

Pete Booth