Check Swing Story

[jkumpire]

Instead of doing serious work, I am making the error of reading the board!

I saw the check swing thread, and if I may be allowed a short story....

A friend of mine who works the Frontier League was coaching a small HS team in the tournament. They are in a District final (which is a big game in the state) in a good town, which shall remain nameless. Close game, 2-1 in the 5th, I believe. I think there were two strikes on the hitter.

R1 is stealing, there is a check, PU calls it a ball. My friend immediately asks for an appeal. PU goes to his partner, "_____ did he swing?" Partner is very highly rated umpire in his area of the state.

The answer comes back, "I don't know."

"WHAT???????????????????", my friend yells.

"I said 'I don't know'", I had a kid stealing and I didn't see the swing."

Needless to say, the rest of the conversation, and the game was not a jolly one for my friend or the BU.