When I was a teenager (before time was invented) back in the south suburbs of Chicago, I worked three summers umpiring park district kids baseball. I umpired 8-9-10 year olds ("minors") and 11-12 year olds ("majors"). Only one official worked the entire field. We stood behind the pitcher with only a ball/strike counter - no other equipment. I think I made about $2.00 per game (maybe less), which was good money back then. I usually worked two games on a Saturday. It was easy and a lot of fun, except for the time a batter hit a line drive right back at the mound and the pitcher just jumped out of the way. I barely had time to duck and the ball just skinned my neck as it passed by.
BTW - I received virtually no training for this. The park district just assumed that because I had played in their program since I was 8 (and made the all-star team as a shortstop each year - sorry, but I had to brag), I must have known the rules and knew how to position myself for the various situations by having watched the umpires for so many years. I must have done a good job because they had me work the summers I was 13, 14 & 15. They asked me to work the next summer, but I was now 16 and found a much better summer job (valet parking at a mob-owned steakhouse - no kidding).
Ahhhh - the good old days.
