interesting partner
 

Worked a JV game tonight, putting on the gear about 20 min prior, figuring I'm working alone (due to multiple spring rainouts and reschedules, assignor had mentioned that possibility).
During the 2nd inning, a partner shows up, who I've never met, and walked into foul territory to work from "A", wearing full protective gear(as if he would work the plate), wearing gym shoes and pants that were off color (heard amused comments from some fans!).
He proceeded to make a good balk call, then took a couple minutes explaining to the pitcher, verbally and with body language, how the mistake was made.
Between innings, he mentioned that if he knew he was working with someone, he would've got to the game sooner (??!!).
Also from "A", he twice called "foul" on foul fly balls over by 3rd, a few seconds after I had called them(no one on base, running).
He brushed off the pitchers mound, 1st and 2nd bases.
I'm telling the catcher to throw down after a 5th warmup pitch, and he's still standing by me telling me how all he works are varsity games( I brush home as 1st batter walks up, and we wait while partner runs toward "A"- did that twice).
Between next inning, I look over and he's in home dugout reviewing the balk call with the pitcher, then apologised to the coach after the game about doing just that.
We had a postgame conversation as we walked to our cars......

So, did he do the game wearing his gear? I hope he took the mask off for plays on the bases!!!

Ya gotta love those ball bags on the bases....

These are the kind of "umpires" we had in the association I worked for last season. Smitty Central, for sure.