|
Home run - missed the plate!!
14u Tournament final
Out of the park 2 run homer and BR is coming around 3rd to be greeted by his friends. Goes to step on the plate and makes NO contact with the white portion of the plate and barely the black. (which probably had about 1/2" showing) and leaves a big 'ol footprint. (just in case I needed some evidence)
Catcher looks at me and says "did he miss the plate?" I say nothing and throw out a new ball to the pitcher. Catcher then says something to someone in the stands about "missing the plate?". I get behind home plate to try and get things going so I won't have to make the call. Catcher gets in his position and someone yells out for him to make an appeal. I'm hoping the pitcher doesn't step off so I can call it a ball.. He steps off, throws to the catcher, he appeal, and I make the out call.
Then the "ruckus" begins. Though I have to say it was not the **** storm I expected. Both base coaches didn't say a thing. In fact the 1st base coach was chatting with the BU about how it looked like he missed home plate. HC comes out and pleads his case but he knows there is not much that can be done.
What was interesting was that the loudest complaints that I heard came from folks in the stands who complained about "taking the home run away from the player." And those complaints were NOT directed at me but at the other team. Go figure. I had one guy say "We have it on video. Do you want to see it." And to his credit, after the inning was over he apologized for trying to "show me up"
Rain came an inning later and they ended up winning 2 - 0.
We even got a compliment or two about how we were some of the best umpires they have had all year. I know, it's coming from the winners but I 'll take what I can get.
|