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Ya know,
This thread, in my opinion, has moved into being silly.
No umpire EVER should try to quote any kind of rule reference during a game.
It is the responsibility of an umpire to KNOW the rules (and the correct interpretation) not to quote the rules.
In over 3,700 games I have NEVER heard an umpire explain anything of WHERE a ruling comes from.
I don't really care if someone is tired of hearing about the JEA, NAPBL, the BRD or any other source. All these sources are to help an umpire learn "about" the rules.
No decent umpire would EVER pull a rule book out of his back pocket to make a point as no umpire would ever quote ANY source. The most "OOO" umpires in the world are ones that turn to Skippy and say: "Coach you know that in 3-3-1 the play specifically says . . . 'blah, blah, blah.'"
It is amazing to me that a competent umpire wouldn't take every source avaialble and simply try to understand the reason, common sense, practical applications, letter, spirit, and general accepted philosophies of rules.
Not Evans, Childress, or any other are trying to replace the rule book with their documentation, they are simply filling in blanks.
I am glad that I know the rules but I never let them get in the way of a great game.
With that I return to my next column, "Strikes & Outs . . .Umpires and the Internet, Part III . . . in praise of the three dumbest umpires ever to post on umpire sites."
Send me a private e-mail to nominate your favorite.
Tee
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