The one that sticks with me was the third game I had ever umpired... my first two games had been easy rec affairs with the little kids. The next night, though, someone didn't show up and I had to go over to umpire a game played between 12U A teams. Needless to say, I was not ready for it. In the first inning, the batter hits a ground ball and is thrown out at first... so I thought. I called the out and then watched as the fielder dropped the ball. That experience had me a little off balance, but it got worse. Later a runner tries to steal third, and I head over to make the call. The throw came in well before the runner, the fielder put down her glove and I had a big OUT. Only when the coaches started screaming did I realize the fielder, for some unknown reason, had taken the ball out of her glove and held it in her hand while tagging with her glove. That game happened years ago, but I still remember those two calls clearly... at least I learned my lessons early. During training they explained having proper timing on calls and following the ball - somehow it just doesn't sink in until you screw it up for yourself.
