[nickrego]

Worked a HS Varsity game with a guy that most of us have nothing but trouble with, and yesterday was no different.

First, he shows up just in time for the plate meeting (he was scheduled to work the bases).

Two innings into the game, the Home Team Coach calls for time, and informs me the JV umpire has not shown up yet. For this league, we are supposed to split, with the Base Umpire suiting up and working the JV game.

So I call my partner in to join the conversation, which the Visiting Team Coach has also joined in on. The Home Team Coach informs my partner of the situation, and asks him to please work the JV game.

My partner replies by saying he has a College game the following day, and there is no way he is going to work a JV game, just to get beat up, and be unable to work his college game, unless, the Home Team Coach is willing to cut him a check, "on the spot", for his college game fees.

The Home Team Coach then asks him, "Are you saying you won't work the game ?" To which my partner replies, "If you try to make me work that JV game, I'll just leave and go home."

Both coaches jaws are now on the ground. They both look at me, and the Home Team Coach asks me, "Nick, what do we do now ?"

Well, I don't want to see the other game get canceled, so I asked my partner, "If I go work the JV game, will you stay and finish the Varsity game ?" To which he replies, "Yeah sure, I'll go suit up." He immediately runs off the field toward his car.

Both coaches jaws dropped even farther. Both coaches walked me all the way to the JV field, saying how much they appreciated me being willing to work the JV game, and a few choice words about my partner. I didn't say anything bad about my partner to them, his actions said enough.

Then, to top it off...

I'm in the middle of an inning at the JV game, when I hear my partner calling to me. I call time...

He asks me what inning it is, to which I reply, "Bottom 7". "Oh, OK then. I was going to change and come help you.", he says. "Don't bother.", I replied, and turned back to my game. He left.

I reported the incident to our Assignor and Secretary, and went up on the Arbiter and BLOCKED him from being scheduled for any further games with me.