Mike, if you're infering that my definition of "the spirit of the game" allows me to enforce the rules so that the better team will win is so far off the mark that it borders slightly on being insulting.
The better team is the team that throws the best, hits the best, catches the best, pitches the best, and finally, scores at least one more run than their opponent during the game at hand. It is not not based on affection, reputation or record, but by what happens on the field during the game.
My job, as I see it, is to interpret and inforce the rules in order to create a level playing field giving both teams an equal opportunity to win the game.
The better team today might not be the better team tomorrow.
The spirit of the game is an umbrella term, and has many different definitions for many people. But for me, it is The kids first and then the interpretation and enforcement of the rules, while allowing freedom for the players to express their abilities.
This is the philosophy I umpire by, and has served me wel.
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