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Originally Posted by SF
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.  |
Thanks SF,
In my very first game as an umpire I had a girl (who happened to be my next door neighbor) running between 2nd and 3rd base when she was caught up with and tagged. I called her out. It was the third out so the defending team started off the field, and vice-versa. Within a few seconds the girls mother (a good neighbor) called me over to third base area to talk to me. She said the girl tagged her with the glove, but had taken the ball out of her glove before the tag. Well, I did notice that the fielder had the ball in her ungloved hand, but I thought she tagged her first and then removed the ball from her glove. I told her that, but she said no she removed the ball before the tag. I was not100% sure, and she kept telling me she saw it very clearly and I made a bad call. Instead of saying the call stands I said okay I'll correct the call. So I called the team back into the field and put my neighbors daughter on third base. First game, first mistake! The coach came over to me and said: "Ump, I don't care if you think you may have made a bad call in my favor, or the other teams favor, I do care that you stick with your call". To top it off I found out later from the offensive coach who was pitching (coach pitch) that he saw the play from a perfect angle and just wanted to inform me that the girl pulled the ball out after tagging his player. So, just as I thought I had made the correct call. I have never changed a judgment call since, and never will, unless I make an out call too soon and see the ball fall out of a glove, like you, and probably everyone else has. I am working on that cause it has biten me a time or two also. In 8 and under the kids don't hold the ball very well at times.
But if I am working with a partner I am one that would probably always allow an appeal to him/her if a coach asks for one. ...and I've learned to watch all tags very closely, and keep my eyes on the ball like a hawk ever since that first game! ..Al