Hey bigwes, what team/coach was it from Franklin? I call games there.

It was their 12-year-old Cal Ripken all-star team; I think their name was the Red Hawks or something like that. Not exactly sure, I didn't have any of their games.

Well, Mike, when the assignor calls and asks you to do a game and you tell him no because it's too long of a drive and you're above working 12-year-olds, he probably won't be calling you again for the good games that are closer to home. And last time I checked, some work is better than none.

As a general rule: Keeping the assignor happy = more games = more money in my pocket.

Interesting. Back in the early 90's when I was a Babe Ruth District Commissioner, State Bambino games (name changed to Cal Ripken now), were highly coveted, and these games were not handed out to just anyone. Someone who had not worked a lot of this age group would not get these games to do, and anyone who was selected would gladly travel 90 minutes, or for that matter, travel half a day and stay in motels for 4-5 days, for what will be some really good small diamond ball. I can't imagine someone who works small diamond turning down these games because of 90 minute travel time, at least not around here anyway.

These games were not assigned by a local assignor, but by a state umpire in chief assigned by the state commissioner.

[Edited by DG on Jul 13th, 2005 at 12:29 AM]

I guess a lot has changed, and not for the better. Considering they have a state tournament for every single age group (T-ball through 16-18 inclusive) and it's tough to get umpires around here to work after HS season is over anyway, they pretty much take what they can get for Ripken games here. It was the first small-diamond ball I'd worked all year long. And the other three guys there were little more than ol' Smitty's.

Cases in Point:
-I was the only one that actually wore shin guards and a cup (and both came in VERY handy).
-One of my partners tried to say a balk was also a ball. (In Ripken, ball is dead, runners return and pitcher is warned; F1 can be removed from mound after repeated violations)
-One guy wore his ball bag in the field.
-One guy yelled "Foul Tip!" on every foul ball back to the screen...and also on actual foul tips into the glove.
-On the other field in one game, the BU signaled a ball fair ...2 or 3 seconds later, PU called it foul.

With travel ball becoming more popular, most umpires around here seem to be doing that full-time and not messing with Ripken or Babe Ruth (and making a boatload more money). Dixie is also very popular here; they were having the Dixie district tournament at the same complex as the 8-year-old Ripken state tournament, and they had good, solid umpires that knew what they were doing while the Ripken guys were in blue jeans and t-shirts.

I don't think I'll ever get more than a State in Ripken/Babe Ruth. This is the third State I've worked, but I've never gotten a call for a Regional. I believe the state commissioner basically has his same group of good ol' boys that he sends to regionals and World Series every year. Our district commissioner last year (different guy) had promised me and my regular partner a regional in Florida, but the state commissioner ended up overruling him and sending two of his buddies. It's stuff like that makes tournament directors have to twist people's arms to get them to work Ripken/Babe Ruth ball.

I'll stick to my high school and above stuff first then work down if there is a plain lack of games. It is the end of season around here so I am actually signed up to call a 9U Super Series but also trying to get hooked up for a 15U as well. The level of umpiring does go down on those games so that gets more frustrating than the play of the kids.
Least the local MSBL league is fixing to start up this week. I may have to go to Arizona one of these years for the WS out there.

Do you work for Doris?