1) Tournament Directors here in the Toledo Area do NOT want games starting after their scheduled time: Games WILL start on time! You do not know how often coaches complain because we have started the game 5 minutes,
, late because we have taken an extra 5 minutes to rest between games.
Just this past Saturday afternoon, all of the morning games were wiped out because of heavy rain the night before. And the diamond to which we were assigned started 10 minutes later than the rest of the games because the 2B area still wasn't ready. The HC and parents of one of the teams in our 3rd game of the day complained that it was our fault that their game was late because of field conditions.
And two weeks ago at a baseball tournament, Junior and I had a HC complain that we didn't start his game immediately after our 3rd game in a row because we took a break and changed gear while the grounds crew ready the field for our next game. Yes, we were behind schedule but that happens when the entire weekend was pummeled with thunderstorms all day and all night long. The shocking thing was about this HC was he and his team was from Canada and Canadians are usually the most polite people there are in tournaments. I was behind the plate for his game and ran him in the top of the 2nd for pulling an Earl Weaver over a balk we called on his pitcher; his Pitcher stopped twice while pitching from the Set Position.
2a) Plate Gear is more than a Chest Protector; it is also Shin Guards and Plate Shoes, as well as a Mask and a Breathing Apparatus (10 bonus points and a Cuban cigar for all who know what a Breathing Apparatus is,
).
2b) Don't forget that during that 10 minute time period between the end of one game and the start of the next game is when the Umpires meet with the HCs, exchange Lineup Cards, go over Ground Rules, and flip the coin for Home and Away.
3) What shade between innings? I have never been on a softball diamond that has shade for the umpires between innings let alone shade for the players.
4) MTD, Jr., and I would not consider going behind the Pitcher to call Balls and Strikes, but we do take the proper precautions to stay hydrated. We each take an insulated jug of ice and water onto the diamond with us. We drink between half innings and keep a small towel in the jugs to use to wring water over our heads and into our hats between innings. We know how to take care of ourselves.
MTD, Sr.