[brandda]

If this guy is a good umpire as you say and you don't have any of this spelled out in writing, then I would go ahead and pay him this time (not worth the bad feelings), but tell him that he has to get a cel phone or pager so that he can be reached in the future.

Next, write your rules down and make everyone sign their agreement as a condition to working your league. Then you don't have to worry about this.

BTW - You also might want to consider a call in number where cancellations will be posted so that they can check for themselves. That's what we use.