Quote:
Originally Posted by umpjong
So if a school administrator tells you, the umpire in chief, that the grounds are unplayable and unsafe for the student athletes, you will allow them to continue just because you have the "sole" authority to "call" the game?
Better get your bank book,house title, and car title out, because my kid, the next batter, is going to sprain his ankle while trying to run out a grounder..........  
(school has no liability as its all yours now) |
Okay, now we are getting way off course here. This was not the case in the OP, which is what we are discussing, not some hypothetical regarding the field being unplayable and dangerous. Here is exactly what the OP said:
I had a freshman doubleheader today. Rain came in the 2nd inning and I suspended play in the bottom of the third because it was getting too wet and the pitcher was starting to have footing issues. Anyway, the field was still salvageable if the rain stopped soon, so of course I decided to wait for awhile to see what happened. The Athletic Director for the home school was there (which almost never happens), and he came up to me as the players were coming off the field and told me that he was calling the game
Notice that he said that the field was not unsalvageable. A little DiamondDry or other dry dirt substance around the plate, mound and bases, and we're good to go if it stops raining soon. That's how I see it. Then, a heavy-handed AD comes harumphing in and steps on the umpire's balls.
The rules state two things:
You wait a minimum of 30 minutes before making a rainout decision, in case the weather clears up.
As soon as the home team’s batting order is handed to the umpire-in-chief, the umpires are in charge of the playing field and from that moment they shall have sole authority to determine when a game shall be called, suspended or resumed on account of weather or the condition of the playing field.
In the case of the OP, the field could still have been played on if the rain stopped, so I would want to try my best to get both game fees. I hate raining out games, then going a mile to my house and watch the sun come out for the rest of the day. It's happened.