In the few years of calling high school ball, I get my first malicious contact and illegal sub within 2 days of one another.

The malicious contact was the BR putting a shoulder into the first basemen. 1B was bending over to try and field a low throw and got his backside over the bag. Instead of just running thru the bag, BR decides to drop a shoulder and put it to him like a linebacker.

The illegal sub was from the home team of a game. Coach hands me a line up and I confirm straight 9. He said yes. Bottom of the first, up walks number 4 in the 9 hole where the pitcher, number 22, is supposed to hit. He strikes out and I have an unannounced sub. Number 22 reenters and pitches the 2nd. Bottom of second, up walks number 4 again. Visiting team coach catches it. Home coach tried to say it was batting out of order. That, of course, was quickly corrected. Made no difference, home team won 25-2.

Thankfully I love talking rules so I was prepared to handle these, without mixing up codes. I hope I am that way down the road when another unusual situation comes up.

[Edited by cowbyfan1 on Apr 28th, 2004 at 06:11 AM]

How did you know #4 had reentered the second time he batted? How did you remember his first at-bat?

More importantly, how did you know that the wrong hitter came up the first time? My lineup cards are in my coat pocket and they stay there until someone comes with a change.

you wear a coat??

Had a dandy last night. Bottom of 7th, home team down 2. R2 and R3, two outs. Base hit, R3 scores, but when R2 comes around to score all the fun starts. Defense is throwing ball into second conceeding R2 at plate, catcher is standing in fair territory three to four feet in front of plate toward the third base side. R2 decides to go way out of his way to throw a shoulder into the catcher (knocking him to the ground) before he touches home. Now, did R2 have a clear path to home, you bet. Was the catcher impeeding R2 in any way, NO. So, I have to kill ball, call malicious contact, eject R2, disallow the run since the contact occurred before he touched home, and since we had two outs, GAME OVER, visitors win by 1 run.

You guys need to move to big MO so you can do some of these fine games. Why did R2 do this? Only the big guy knows for sure.

A plate coat, yes. Is that a big surprise? I *am* in Wisconsin.

Speaking of which, I need to take it to the cleaners today.

--Rich

And
 

" . . . you wear a coat??"

And I am also a Plate Coat guy.

I would never consider wearing a pullover behind the dish (or wear white slacks before Memorial Day!).

Tee

wow, I thought the plate coat went out with the dinosaurs.

There are a lot of umpires who tell me how much they like the coat, but won't pay for one for themselves. They'll earn $300 in a weekend umpiring college games, but won't invest in a coat. Whatever.

I have jackets and I have worn them on the plate, but nothing compares to having a plate coat.

Same here. I use mine all of the time. They look good, feel good, and are very practical. Rich, you have about another four weeks of coat weather up there, don't cha?

I've worked 17 games this season, 10 plates. Wore the plate coat for ALL TEN. Seven on the bases, six with a jacket. Yup, wore short sleeves once since my first game on 3/31. No game today or I'd be in sleeves -- it's 75 degrees right now at 2PM.

--Rich

Screw the jacket, those look like we are doing retro nights at the ballpark, no offense.

I just wear my pullover.

It looks bush if the umpire is sporting a random garmet, but I wear my baseball Ontario pullover... keeps me warm, looks sharp, not that expensive.

Just my opinion.

I know that being cheap is paramount to most umpires.

I've seen a lot of plate coats on TV this year. Those guys retro? Or professional?

I just hope I don't have to wear my official parka when the seaon opens in 12 days!

[Edited by jxt127 on Apr 28th, 2004 at 04:59 PM]

A plate coat is not a random garment. They look professional and sharp. They are bought from a supplier the same as you would your "non random garment". It is not like I went and bought a jacket at the local tailor and just started wearing it for umpiring.