[ogie oglethorpe]

Hi everybody, I've been lurking around here for the last few months, probably reading every thread on the board twice over. This is my first post but I am about to make up for that I'm afraid. I think I have learned a lot from everyone here, and it surprised me to find out how much I still have to learn.

I joined my local ASA this Spring and completed a 5 or 6 session clinic followed by the test.

Today I was assigned what I suppose was my last step in proving that I am competent enough to work on behalf of the association. It was a mens SP DH between 2 lower level teams. I was assigned to work with a veteran umpire who I was to watch for the first two innings and observe his mechanics. Then I was to work the following 5 innings of game 1 by myself while he watched and offered criticism/advice. For game two we were to work using two man mechanics and I would again be working the plate. (The majority of games worked in my area use a single umpire.)

My first sign that my partner wasn't going to be the best role model was when he strolled to the backstop prior to the pre game conference and attached his backpack to the backstop with a bungie cord. He didn't do this on the side of the fence that was out of play mind you, but on the side of the playing field. I know the odds of a play being affected by that backpack are small but it seemed like a silly idea to me.

By the third pitch, an illegal pitch that didn't rise at least six feet, I heard VetUmp yell flat (not illegal) with no DDB signal. Fine I thought to myself, that's his style, no big deal, I'll just do as I think I'm supposed to as far as signals and mechanics go. So two innings come and go and I'm behind the plate. The first pitch comes in and bounces off the outside edge of the plate. "Ball" i say and not two feet behind me "vet ump" is whispering in my ear "plate, say plate when it hits the plate". The pitcher looks in at me and asks where the pitch was, perhaps encouraged by the conversation VetUmp was having in my ear. "Hit the Plate" i said while VetUmp is saying "see, if you say plate, they wouldn't ask". I know there are plenty of umps that say "Plate, and "Flat", and "Deep" and bang fists and whatnot but it was my understanding that these were unapproved, or worse, bush league.

I know I'm talking about Beer League softball but if I am going to do something I want to make sure I am doing it right no matter how silly or unnecessary some people may think it is. But now I find myself having to use VetUmps bush mechanics for the rest of the day because he is the one who will tell our UIC how I did. In my mind, if I didn't do as he said I ran the risk of getting a less than favorable report. And that wouldn't be fair.

One play of note in game two, a bang bang play at first, VetUmp seems to hesitate for a second longer than normal, and a little off balance he meakly says "Safe". No one really complains and the inning continues as normal. Between innings, he tells me that the gum he was chewing briefly blocked his windpipe, choking him, thus the weak call. Oh well, at least it wasn't a pretzel.

Hopefully, he'll tell our UIC what he needs to hear, and I'll begin to work in earnest. I'm confident that will be the case, thanks in part to everyone here. Thanks for that. And thanks for reading.

Ogie

(edited for spelling)