First Game Experience

[LLPA13UmpDan]

How was your guy's first experience umpring? What was the level you called? Was it a disaster? Tell Us. I know my first game...behind the plate...Got rained out in the top of the 2nd. Very First batter up...foul ball off my mask (Hockey type). Left a mark on it, right on of it. Hope your first game was better than mine.

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by LLPA13UmpDan

How was your guy's first experience umpring? What was the level you called? Was it a disaster? Tell Us. I know my first game...behind the plate...Got rained out in the top of the 2nd. Very First batter up...foul ball off my mask (Hockey type). Left a mark on it, right on of it. Hope your first game was better than mine.

Just got back from my honeymoon. Sunday morning. Association assignor calls me to work the bases in a men's semi-pro game, to replace ump called out of town in a family emergency. B/R beats throw to 1B, but oversteps the bag. Defense appeals, OUT. Not only the B/R and the 1B coach go crazy, but the entire bench, AND half the stands come out. The PU was an experienced ump who worked that league for years, got everyone calmed down and back to where they belong. Between innings he tells me there's $5,000 riding on the game, and this is July, 1956. He tells me that when the game's over, head for my car and head home, without changing shoes.

All for a $9.00 game fee.

Bob

[ToGreySt]

My first game ever, I had the bases in a JV game in the middle of nowhere in western new hampshire, I left more than two hours before game time (it's an hour drive) with my map quest directions in hand. After an hour and a half I realize that the directions were taking me in the wrong direction and I don't get to the game until the top of the fifth. my partner just didn't know what to say, I felt so bad when the coach tried to pay me a full game fee, so I signed it over to my partner.

my first game on the dish was a little bit better, I at least got there on time. my zone was horriffic, both too small and changing on an inning by inning basis. I missed a hidden ball trick at second base that had me looking down at my indicator and my partner looking in the opposite direction (no out - we played on)

both of my second games were above and beyond much better

Joe

[TussAgee11]

I had an F2 who was reaching way out to catch pitches, and probably missed 3 CI's. It was so hard for me to tell then, because I was so focused on that ball, and couldn't hear the bat nicking the glove.

As you become a better umpire, you begin to use all your senses to make your calls.

Now, I can taste when the infield is unsafe to play on due to rain.

[SanDiegoSteve]

My first baseball game was a LL Majors game (alone). I had already done basketball and slow pitch softball, so at least I had a clue.

I did pretty well for a raw rookie. One of the coaches approached me after the game and told me I did a really good job. I said thank you. He asked me how long I had been umpiring baseball and I told him it was my first game ever. He was genuinely astonished, and told me I looked like I'd been at it a long time. Must have been the softball.

[Tim C]

As I have documented several times over the years:

My first game was a Class AAA varsity game (at the time that was my states largest high school classification) between to city rivals and I was on the plate.

I have worked one sub-varsity game in my career (working as a mentor) and found it far more difficult to work than any varsity game I have worked.

But I digress:

As I remember (heck it was 1968) everything went well -- I was always considered a "good baseball guy" that understood the game and, other than understanding all the rules, the game went well.

Of course the plate is always easy compared to working the bases.

Regards,

[Toadman15241]

I was 11 years old when I called my first game on the bases. It was a 9-10 year old game and I knew every single player and coach. I had been going to the association rules/mechanics clinics for three years, so I knew what I was doing. I had one banger at first and the coach thought he could take advantage of my age and decided to touch me during the argument and so I had to dump him.

[ctblu40]

I was 17 or 18, and called a game on the bases. It was a Sr LL game and I played for the home team the previous year. I had a banger at third base on the BR trying to stretch a double in a late inning. I banged him out and an argument ensued. I ended up running the manager of the home team. The ride home after the game was a long one because the person I just dumped was my ride home. It was my father!

[Tim C]

"I was 11 years old when I called my first game on the bases. It was a 9-10 year old game and I knew every single player and coach."

. . . and therein lies the "internet" problem with umpires:

At 11 years old you were not umpiring. It doesn't count on your resume and, in my personal opinion, shouldn't even be considered as "umpiring."

We get guys all the time that say they have "14 years experience" and we find that they are 21 years old. Something doesn't fly.

This is one of the reasons that I "hold in contempt" small diamond umpires.

Regards,

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Tim C

"I was 11 years old when I called my first game on the bases. It was a 9-10 year old game and I knew every single player and coach."

. . . and therein lies the "internet" problem with umpires:

At 11 years old you were not umpiring. It doesn't count on your resume and, in my personal opinion, shouldn't even be considered as "umpiring."

We get guys all the time that say they have "14 years experience" and we find that they are 21 years old. Something doesn't fly.

This is one of the reasons that I "hold in contempt" small diamond umpires.

Regards,

What difference does age have to do with anything? He said he attended the association's rules and mechanics clinics for 3 years prior to working a game. That is different than a kid that just jumps right into a game situation from off the street as a "helper" (read "hinderer"). He actually studied how to be an umpire before working a game.

We had an umpire who's 13 year old son took an interest in becoming an umpire. I had the dubious "honor" of working the bases on his very first plate game. It was a Pony (13-14) game, and both his dad, and our assignor were in attendance. He actually did quite well, and continued working youth ball and then eventually HS ball when he was 16. At age 18, he went to Wendelstedts, and then UDP, and then to a job in minor league baseball.

I would rather work with a youngster who is eager to learn how to umpire the right way, who hasn't developed a lot of bad habits, than to umpire with some old Smitty who tells me to "just go along with me on checked swings," or hollers "safe" at the top of his lungs when a runner slides into a base when there is no play.

If an umpire is a dues paying, uniform wearing, gets-paid-to-umpire type umpire, than he or she is a real baseball umpire, IMO.

Steve

Defender of "real" real umpires.

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by Tim C

"I was 11 years old when I called my first game on the bases. It was a 9-10 year old game and I knew every single player and coach."

. . . and therein lies the "internet" problem with umpires:

At 11 years old you were not umpiring. It doesn't count on your resume and, in my personal opinion, shouldn't even be considered as "umpiring."

We get guys all the time that say they have "14 years experience" and we find that they are 21 years old. Something doesn't fly.

This is one of the reasons that I "hold in contempt" small diamond umpires.

Regards,

I don't hold small diamond umpires in contempt because some guys count their experiences at 11 as meaningful umpire experiences, but otherwise I'm with you. I hold those who tout their "20 years of experience" when they're 31 years old in contempt.

[DG]

I was a League President hanging around the concession stand when it became apparent that the umpires were not going to show up. The equipment (mask, balloon, shin guards) were in the equipment room so I went out to do a game with a fan/parent on the bases.

In retrospect, the strike zone was not big enough for these 11-12 year olds, and the game lasted too long because of it.

So my first game was behind a balloon, with whatever clothes I had on at the time.

After that I started doing more games, sort of part time. We had an umpire that everybody complained about named Bob. So everytime anyone wanted to start an argument I would say "this could be Bob behind the plate" and the discussion would end immediately. Yes, I was throwing Bob under the bus, but that's where he belonged.

[Toadman15241]

Originally Posted by Tim C

. . . and therein lies the "internet" problem with umpires:

At 11 years old you were not umpiring. It doesn't count on your resume and, in my personal opinion, shouldn't even be considered as "umpiring."

We get guys all the time that say they have "14 years experience" and we find that they are 21 years old. Something doesn't fly.

This is one of the reasons that I "hold in contempt" small diamond umpires.

Regards,

Tim,

Was I a great ump at 11? No, and would never claim to have been so, but I was as good as a lot of guys who had been doing games for years because I had attended the mechanics/rules meetings and always to improve. By the time I was 14 I was doing 80' ball (the local association was so short on guys and a few of the senior guys had watched me do LL games). I started doing 90' ball at age 16. I also got a copy of J/R, Evans, BRD, CCA, and the PBUC manual at that time so I could learn more. Now it did take time to adjust to the move up to big field ball, but I had learned a lot in those 5 years. When I turned 18 I started doing FED ball and was asked to help with rules/mechanics this past year, even though I am only 19.

I think the fact that I am an "internet umpire" shows that I wanted to go out and learn as much as I can. I started surfing these boards when I was 14, although I did not post. I was just trying to absorb as much as I could from individuals such as yourself, Steve, Papa C, and Dave Hensley just to name a few.

I have never, and won't for decades, claim to have a ton of experience. In my book, the ~1000 games I have done (~500 big field) pales in comparison to the 5000+ games that many posters here have called.

JMHO.

[griff901c]

Originally Posted by Tim C

As I have documented several times over the years:

My first game was a Class AAA varsity game (at the time that was my states largest high school classification) between to city rivals and I was on the plate.

I have worked one sub-varsity game in my career (working as a mentor) and As I remember (heck it was 1968) everything went well --


Of course the plate is always easy compared to working the bases.

Regards,

Did I miss something? Had you attended any mechanics meetings prior to this game?

First game.... varsity and the dish! Pretty good gig!

Griff

[GarthB]

My first time humping? Oh, gee....I was in my junior year in high school. We were at the Drive-In in my parents Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Huge back seat. I hadn't planned anything, but it was obvious that Cathy had. We....what? Oh, umping!

Never mind.