It's 5:45, have a game at 7:00, still not sure if I will have a partner tonight. Boys Dixie, 13-4 yr old, OBR.

If it's a one man show, should I call from behind the plate or form the mound? I'm asking y'all to decide for me, I'll let you know how it goes when i get home tonight.

BTW, its 85 degrees, 100% humidity. light wind from the South, sun sets around 8:15.

One Word....

PLATE!!!!

We've had this discussion before. I would work behind the plate. But it's really <u>your</u> choice, whichever you feel most comfortable with. Good luck.

To be honest, it really depends on common practice in your area. I'd work the plate although five years ago I was in the mound camp.

Very true Rich. I didn't even think about there might be an association requirment where you must work one or the other.

I got a call Sunday morning to work a game at 2:00. "I am still working on getting a partner." I get there at 1:30 and wait till 1:45 and seeing no partner I dressed for the plate. Game time, still no partner. I figure there ain't gonna be one. The losing coach had two arguments with the plate guy about a couple of rules interpretations. The base guy had a great game, all great calls and no arguments.

While I believe calling from the mound area is the best thing to do in one man, I just can't bring myself to do it, and around here everyone would look at you real funny if you did it.

Although we have a lot of umpires in my area, one-man games are a fact of life, especially when the high school season is still on. There are so many youth games to cover that the teams often wait for a guy to arrive following his 3:30 HS game (sometimes subvarsity alone). The fee and a half ($63) ain't bad for a 13-14 yr old game alone, usually a piece of cake for any experienced umpire. Having a partner is (usually) more fun and a chance to work on mechanics, but just not always possible.

There are no certified umpires that I know of here who would consider working from behind the mound. Even if a parent (in desperation) comes from the stands when no umpire shows, he dons the balloon protector from the equipment shed and works behind the plate.

Lucked out. Got there early and at 10 till, one of our board memebrs, who is an ump but doesn't call because he's usually coaching, had the night of and asked if he could help. Easy game, absolute slaughter 18-0.

And yes, if he hadn't pitched in, I would have done it from the plate.

Try setting up a lawn chair in the third base coaches box. Apparently you can see everything from there.

Actually theres a spot just beside the visitors dugout on that field that enables you to see evey concieveable angle of play on every base and it gives you telescopic vision to catch those foul ball down the third base line on the opposite side of the field.

And its in the shade. Should have just camped out there.

$63 for a PONY-level game?!?!?! Macaroo can I please come work where you are? One-man games in my area are $45 (fee and a half)!

But that being said, I would never think about doing this for money alone.....

Our association will not allow us to do games alone behind the pitcher. How would you call fair-foul balls?

Not advocating "behind the mound", but to answer your question:
The same way you call bangers at 2d from behind the plate [solo] - get your best possible angle/ distance combo, and give it your best GUESS!

I was tempted once to go sit in the stands behind the backstop at first base line extended. There were a couple of fans and an assistant coach with the night off that were sitting there and complaining about every pitch.

I came this close to going out, sitting next to them, and announcing that I was going to call the game from there since it was obviously a better view than I had from behind the plate.

Our Association forbids working from behind the mound in one man. Their explanation is that it doesn't " look professional ". I expend a lot more energy in one man behind the plate, but I feel like I have done a good job ( under the circumstances ) because I move to every play. Although I have not received a lot of praise for that effort ( not looking for OR expecting it ), I have NEVER received any complaints about working behind the plate when alone.