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				Umps playing God
			 
 
			
			I had a similar thing happen to one of my players a few years ago when I was coaching.  It was late in the game and we had a pretty good lead, but this team was very capable of blowing big leads.  The ump called my player out on a third strike that wasn't even close.  It was the third out and I met the batter as he walked to the dugout with a stunned look on his face.  I told him to try to forget about it.  I didn't say anything to the ump.  Then the ump came up to me and quietly said not to count that strikeout in the kid's stats.  I asked him why.  He said that he thought the game was getting out of hand and wanted to end the inning.  I couldn't believe it.  I never complained to anyone because we ended up winning the game, but I was amazed that he sincerely felt that he had done something noble.
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