[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

My sons (Mark, Jr., the baseball umpire, and Andy) play in a Knothole (15-18) summer baseball league. This is the third year that Mark has played in this league, so we already know what to expect in the way of umpires: very very few if any are registered as baseball umpires with either the OhioHSAA or MichiganHSAA.

The umpires (both PU and BU) wear khaki cargo shorts (I kid you not.). The umpires can wear either navy blue, red, or powder blue shirts, but the crew is not required to wear the same colored shirts. Hat (the don't have to be a standard umpire's hat, any old baseball style hat will do) are optional even for the PU and if the PU does wear one, it is acceptable to wear it backwards under the mask; the UIC prefers not to wear a hat when behind the plate and feels it is okay to coach a team in the league and order umpires to enforce non-existent rules in the same game that he is coaching.

The PU in one game sent text messages between innings and whenever a pitching change is being made. The BU carried a bottle of water around with him while in the B and C positions on the diamond and felt it was okay to take a drink while the pitcher was pitching.

MTD, Sr.