[Stripes1950]

I read with interest the post by blueump regarding his "Brain Fart." Don't be too hard on yourself. JV game tonight. Time limit of 1:45 hours in effect agreed to by both coaches in preconference. At 1:42 hours home team is up by a couple and visitors are coming to bat. I go to visitor coach near the pitching mound to ask him if he concedes due to time limit. He seems confused. I explain that he probably won't get to bat in the sixth as the home team still has to get three outs and then the home team has to take the field and the first pitch of the sixth inning has to occur before 1 hour and 45 minutes have elapsed. He says, "I want to try it anyway." I honor his request. The first batter in the top of the fifth singles. The second batter is at bat when the 1 hour 45 minute time limit is reached. I walk over to the visitor coach and tell him that due to the time limit, the game is over. He says, " What?" I said, "Coach, you don't have another at bat coming and you are behind. I can't justify continuing this game. It is over." I turned to the home bench and I indicated that the game was over. I then left with my partner in tow. The visiting crowd went nuts. As I left the playing field I had the crowd yelling that I can't just give them (the home team) the game. Perhaps I did not do enough to explain the situation to the visiting coach but I feel that his ignorance of the rules caused me grief. Changing in parking lot. Typical up here in the frozen "tundra." Northern Michigan. Fan from losing (visitor) comes up and asks why we took the game from them. I explain that the time limit had been reached and that there wasn't any possibility of the visiting team winning. He didn't understand. He started to raise his voice at me. He got irritated. I ended the conversation. My partner jumped in. He explained the entire situation to him. This seemed to calm him down. He then said, "I'm feel much better that I know what happened. I will explain it to the others." Well, I was relieved but still upset with the visiting teams' coach. He hung me out to dry. I had no choice but to call the game. What value is there to a time limit unless it is enforced? Second game went 4.5 innings and was called on account of darkness and the score reverted to the end of the 4th tied at nine. Seems like a lot of grief for 35 bucks a game!