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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Fri Oct 22, 2004, 11:08pm
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Question

A couple of guys and me in my association are considering going to umpire school either this winter or the next. I am just wondering if any of you have any opinions on the two schools. Thanks.
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  #2 (permalink)  
Old Sat Oct 23, 2004, 12:55am
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Well, here we go again.

Everyone that responds to this question pretty much takes the politically correct line.

Paraphrasing here: both schools are pretty terrific. you just have to make a choice and go. They both pretty much send the same number of guys and chick to PBUC.

The guys that lean toward Jimmy tell you that Jimmy is at every class and field mechanic session. He uses only Minor League umpires because they know 2 man mechanics better than the Major League guys that permeate Harry's School.

Harry's school advertises the fact that he uses Major league umpires that have 70,000 (just kidding) hours in the Show.

SO!! You're still not sure, right??

Here's what I know. Mr. Evans DOES teach most of the Classroom sessions. He is on the field every day during the field mechanics. He not only teaches Rules, Field Mechanics and Game Management, he also teaches his philosophys on life, how to be true to yourself , and much more.

I am biased. I attended Jim's Academy in 1998 and came out of there a much better person. I would have gotten a job except I was 55 at the time.

Hopefully, a Harry grad will come out and tell you his feelings for the School he attended.

I think honest dialogue between grads of the two schools will help you make up your mind on which way to go.

As a Jimmy grad, I am saying that Evans Academy is better.

I hope Harry's guys say the same things about his school.

Just trying to liven up the posts, Carl.

Dave
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  #3 (permalink)  
Old Sat Oct 23, 2004, 08:27am
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Posts: 19
I chose. . .

I will be going to Harry's this year. I weighed all of the options of both schools and came to the conclusion that Harry's was better. Not only for the money, but the important part, the education. Everything that I found at Jim's, I found at Harry's. There was nothing there that he could offer that the Wendlestadt school could not compete with. The decision maker though, was that Harry's offered things not available at Jim's.

1.They have live games to better prepare you for professional baseball.

These live situations provide the opportunity to see your reaction. As Hunter, Harry's son and co-owner, said to me on the phone, when the plays are not planned, you have to show instinct.

2. More rounded staff. I checked into this because it was important to me.

Jim does have a current Major League instructor that helps Jim with the school. It is Ted Barrett. But he is only down there for a week, and they said he might not even be down there that much this year. Harry's though, has many Major League umpires that work as instructors full time. I understand that people say that this isn't important, but it is. The experience of those guys alone will be beneficial to a professional career. Also, Harry has minor league guys too- and a much broader sample from every level. I checked on the status of the level that the instructors were working at. Most of Jim's were in their first year in the game. NO EXPERIENCE! I heard, and this is just through a grapevine, that the reason for this is because Jim has turnover all the time because he does not treat his instructors as well as Harry does.

3. Finally, the chances of getting a job.

Both schools boast equally impressive figures towards this, but I did my own research. There is no dispute over one thing: Harry has put more guys into the Major Leagues than all other schools combined.
Jim says he's got the highest percentage, and Harry says the most. I called up the PBUC office in Florida and was told that every year the same number of students from each school are selected for the evaluation course. Even though that number is the same, over the past few (last five) years, Harry's students have "consistantly" received the majority of the jobs. That leads me to one conclusion- they are better prepared.

That is the reason that I chose Harry's. I hope that this helps. Oh yeah, and it's less expensive. Not by much, but $100 is $100.
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  #4 (permalink)  
Old Sun Oct 24, 2004, 12:46am
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Thumbs up

Thanks guys, that helps.
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