[jr131981]

never again....

theres a smaller softball organization out west which i wont name, and they asked me to ump some SP games for them. ive done a few league games without any problems....

had my first tourny today, it was a coed tourny with only 3 girls required.

heres a run down of the relevant rules

no rule saying subs have to be gender for gender
batting out of order rule is same as ASA
there is a rule saying only 3 guys can bat in a row.
there is no special prescribed penalty for batting 4+ males in a row
lineup cards are filled out and given to the PU.

championship game, im the BU, its the 3rd inning and the visiting team, which has their first 3 batters as males, has their 10th batter up, which is also a male, giving them 4 males in a row...

after the 3rd male (hitter #2 in the lineup) bats, the DC approaches the PU saying the offensive team have a 4th male in a row due up.

hes talking to the DC for about a minute, and by this point in time the OC's approach home plate and they talk for about 2 more minutes, so now i realize something more than a basic sub is up and i walk towards the PU.

i figure out what the situation is, explain what my interpretation of the rules are, the PU wants to get the UIC, but he went home. now the PU wants the TD to make a decision, i tell the PU that the TD is not an ump, not affiliated with the assn and frankly has no relevancy to the discussion, but alas the PU wants the TD to make a decision. at this point in time im about ready to walk off the field, but who knows how this assn normally does things.

the TD has no clue whats going on or what the rules are, and after a few more minutes he offers up his ruling, which he basically pulled out of his *ss and the visiting team, rightfully so, "rants and raves", and during such, offer up a few substitution options they can make to appease the 3 male batter rule. i once again explain my interpretation of the rules to the coaches, i tell the OC that her plan of subbing in a female for the male batter thats due up solves the issue at hand, but the TD wont listen.

by this point in time, im thinking to myself why am i even here if no one is going to listen to me explain the rules, so i walk away from the TD and PU and the teams coaches. about 5 more minutes pass... and now one of the players calls up the UIC on their cell phone. the TD talks to the UIC on the phone, and the UIC rules that the male batter due up is to be ejected. where he got that from i have no idea, i think there was a good chance the situation wasnt correctly explained to him. now about 5 more minutes pass while the players, PU, and TD are arguing. now the dust has sorta settled, and the OC finds me and asks why the player is being ejected, i explain to the OC that there is no such rule.

now the PU wants the batter thats due up ejected bc thats what the UIC said, i tell him, if he ejects the player, im gone too. that didnt go over too well with my partner, but at that point in time, i could care less.

so now the OC is pushing the PU for an explanation why they cannot sub a female batter in for the male batter thats due up.....at this point i have my cooler in hand getting ready to walk off the field in case the PU is going to go through with the ejection. eventually the female sub is allowed, the whole fiasco lasted ~30 minutes.

i think i will politely turn down the next time im offered games from this assn.