[ozzy6900]

Personally, I think that if you are known as a "fair" umpire, that is a feather in your cap! I have a better relationship with many coaches because they know that I do not look at uniforms, numbers or the person wearing them. I make calls that involve players, not uniforms. That means when I am called to do a 4 man crew for an important game and I find that it is my home town HS playing, the coaches know that I call the play, not the school. There is never a question of being a "homie".

Of course, I try not work the plate in those situations (providing I am informed before we are dressed and arrive on the field). There have been times where it just worked out that it was my turn to have the plate and nothing could be done about it. That is when having a reputation of being a "fair" umpire helps a lot.

Now we all strive at being a "good" umpire - heck, even Smitty has that aspiration. But to be a "fair" umpire takes good rules knowledge, people skills, good decision making and a big set of balls! Why the latter? When that coach who thought you were "fair" suddenly turns on you, he has to go just as any other coach!

I would rather be known as a “fair” official any day. To me it means that I have accomplished what I started out to do twenty some-odd years ago. To be able to walk onto a baseball field to do a job that others wouldn’t dream of and do it right.