[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by ccbestul

Umps are paid to control the game.

I agree but we are not paid to be part of the game whihc unfortunately we have to become because players / coaches do not.

There's an ole adage Don't fool around with Mother Nature which is what amateur athletics did by creating all these safety caveats. If you think the rulemakers put these safety rules in for the kids think again it's about insurance isssues and people sue happy.

When I played we played like the BIG BOYS and you know what it was a better game for all invovled. Blue didn't have to police the game the way we have to today. Back then the game took care of itself.

Did we have our share of scraps or 2 Sure but Nothing and I mean Nothing like today.

Example; B1's job is to run through the bag and the throw from say F6 pulls F3 off the bag and both B1 and F3 collide perfectly legal except:

B1 / F3 get up and the glaring match starts over a perfectly legal play. Each doing what they are supposed to: B1 running hard trying to beat out an infield hit and F3 fielding his position.

What does all this mean - The rule-makers especially FED are doing their best to put in rules to avoid the unsportsmanlike acts.

Let's take this thread and one of the opposing players yelled GET BACK! and caused one of our runners to retreat unnecssarily and as a result was thrown out in trying to advance because he lost a good 5-6 steps by diving back to first base. Ok let the out stand.

Now the player who caused our runner to be thrown out comes to bat - guess what Some nice Chin Music and the Game took care of itself. Today if F1 throws chin music get ready for armagedon.

Unfortunately people want baseball to be contact free and while not like football, hockey or basketball, baseball played THE RIGHT WAY is not free of contact.

Officials are declining in numbers because even with the FEE structure it just isn't worth it. Umpiring should be fun but when a simple play turns into armagedon it isn't fun anymore. I feel like telling some of these teams "hey guys if you want to go at one another there's a Golden Gloves tournament coming up why don't you sign up"

I think the main reason for the change in attitides is the Coaches / parents because even though times have changed kids are kids however, they take their lead from the coaches / parents

If you could take away the coaches and the Fans and simply play REAL baseball one would see the difference.

Pete Booth