Field Decorum

[officialtony]

Ok, from an unending list, in no particular order, I'll start:

Support your partner at all times;
Praise them in public, criticize them in private;
Ignore fans unless personal threats or physical violence occur - then call police;
Don't get " rabbit ears " - hear what you need to keep the game under control;
Sell all calls- can eliminate a lot of criticism;
Be polite - but firm;
Don't go looking for trouble - but don't turn your back to it. It hurts;
Forget previous incidents and start every game with a fresh slate;
Let people believe that you really do enjoy what you do;
Don't be overly efficient - deal with the aspects of the game that matter;
Don't be intimidated into changing a call, if you are sure you are right;
Be willing to correct a correctable mistake;
Be willing to ADMIT you made a mistake.

The list goes on and on. Much of it is common sense - or so we think. But some umpires don't understand or agree with some of these philosophies. That is OK. You decide what is right for you.


Disclaimer:

*The above philosophies are mine and not necessarily the opinions of anyone else on this forum.