Let me go down the list:
Preacher: Is that just a nickname, or a professional position? I am one too, that's why I asked. Yes, Ohio weather is great, our HS teams will be playing until mid-July.
I assumed that a real baseball person, even if they don't know the rules would understand the concept of the 45 deg angle on the balk cal. My biggest mistake was assumign the guy had a clue about the rules or baseball. Chalk it up to my idealism, I should know better by now.
MRM, I have been doing basebll for so long most kids parents weren't married and I was doing games. I just keep trying to get better.
Garth, good to hear from you again! I am doing well these days. IMO, even though FED describes how they want this called, doing it the other way is more natural, and if you do multiple rules codes as mos of us do, it only makes sense to call it this way. If you kill the ball, who cares what is first?
Lawump, I also went to pro school many years ago, and in the pro game, or even the college game, short answers are always better. IN FED, you should use a few more words, if you let people know what they did, ususally they move on. This guy didn't, maybe because he didn't know the rules well enough to accept you could have a balk here.
Tex, and others: The ***'t di dnot get the gate because he yelled from the dugout after I put him back in it, and frankly, if he wants to show himself to be an idiot, just get out of his way. This is HS baseball, and these teams are not state caliber teams. He did not do enough to get ejected, and if I have to watch his underperforming team play, he should have to too.
3 apples, I have done many funerals, so I am professionally qualified to perform a funeral for a ball. And I think usually can do a good service for one that brings comfort to those who are suffering loss
To many, I passionately hate "Blue", and I make it a point to write first names of managers on the lineup card before each game, so I can converse with them in a civilized manner. . But I am one of the few who always checks equipment before games, gets in trouble for not letting team line up on the fould line whille the other teams warm up, remind people to cover their pitchers in the bullpen, and a whole host of other things people in my area don't do. Until I find bunch of people in my area who will not tolerate being called blee, I'm going to have to live with it. As we all do. Thank goodness when we do serious games, people understand the traditions.