Quote:
Originally posted by BigUmp56
During one of the week long tournaments there, an umpire was calling games from a wheelchair. This brought rise to an issue that goes deeper than the sport of baseball in my opinion. The main questions were, can he do his job effectively, and even if he can, is he putting the players at a higher risk of injury.
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i remember when this was posted on the ABUA site, and i still feel the same about it. i dont think it should happen unless the guy can do every single thing that another able-bodied (i think that the term they use) umpire can do. if he can get from A into position at 2B on a base hit to the outfield then props to him, keep the uniform. if he has any trouble getting into position or getting out of the way, i think its time to hang it up.
it may not be the popular opinion, but this is a job that must be done the right way every time, no slack for anyone including the disabled. i think its great that the guy is staying active and wants to be a part of the action, but i think hes getting too close (unless of course he can do the job properly, then i take this back).