I was doing a Little League Senior League Regional Championship game(15-16 year olds) I was the 2b umpire in a 4 man crew. R1 was attempting to steal, got a real bad jump, however, the catcher's throw was high and to the 1b side, F6 jumps for the throw comes down and attempts a sweep tag and the runner does a beautiful slide hooking his body away from the tag, I was blocked from the tag and I didn't hear anything or see the tag being made, I call safe, but make no signal like a fool. I was thinking about the call and I wanted to make the right call under a bad cirumstance. Fortunately everyone concerned heard the safe. The umpire at 3b saw the slide and agreed with the call as he told me at the end of the inning and the 1b umpire said that he couldn't tell. After the game the president of the defensive team asked me politely, how I could have called the runner safe, because the throw beat the runner. I explained very honestly to him that I was blocked and I had to rely on sound, glove movement and the quality of the throw. He accepted my explanation. Later on the chat line, there was quite a few discussions about that play, with the sliding player acknowledging that the fielder did tag him, but it was on his nose while his foot was on the base. I was right,but for the wrong reason. I was in good position to make the call, but I guess even with a 4 person crew, you can't see everything.
Regards
Phil
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Thu Feb 15, 2001, 04:54pm
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