|
Someone, somewhere in this thread, mentioned Single A Minor League umpires were seen frolicking in a manner similar to the volunteers at the LLWS.
I would question that.
I went to a Spokane Indians game last year when the featured promotional act was Myron Noodleman, a Jerry Lewis wannabe who entertained between innings. To my amazement, I "saw" him walk up to the PU who was standing on the third base line between halves of an inning and coax him into doing the "chicken dance". The "ump" was pretty damn good, too.
After the game, I hung out to talk with the umpires. I mentioned to the PU that he did a hell of a chicken dance. "No way," he protested, "No F@#$!^& way."
I stared at him for a second and he continued. "That was his stooge. He has a partner that provides his props and plays his music for most of the game, and then dresses like an ump and takes the third base line for that bit. I was in the walkway to the locker room."
The other ump added: "Our supervisor has told us to NEVER get into the act with a promtional character or even the mascot. Sometimes they try really hard, but I would never let the players see someone make an *** of me on the field. I'd never live it down and I'd never move up."
Later, as we were leaving, I saw Noodleman load up his car and there was his assistant, still wearing his ump hat. I approached him and asked if he ever got real umpires into his act. He said that he used to get one or two a year to go along, but gave up trying "years ago." "For one, they are all afraid to look silly," he said, "and two, they suck at it."
That would be my response if asked. I would prefer to maintain some dignity on the playing field and not look silly (anymore than usual); and, no doubt, I would suck at it.
|