Little League

[ChucktownBlue]

Originally Posted by waltjp

It appears that this whole mess could have been avoided if the father asked the coach if he could use one of the team's 2 copies of the rule book.

Sounds like a great idea. Problem is, the coaches don't remember where the books are since they don't touch them since the day the books are put into their grubby little hands!

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by ChucktownBlue

Sounds like a great idea. Problem is, the coaches don't remember where the books are since they don't touch them since the day the books are put into their grubby little hands!

Oh, I don't know. They can always seem to find them pretty quickly when they want to argue (incorrectly) about a rule.

[aceholleran]

Originally Posted by waltjp

Oh, I don't know. They can always seem to find them pretty quickly when they want to argue (incorrectly) about a rule.

Well said, Walt.

Ace

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

there are probably a lot of little leagues that use parents as umpires.
when i played LL, weekday games were done with one hired umpire and one parent on the bases, usually a dad that would volunteer. weekend games were done with two paid umpires...but i became one of those paid umpires when i was 14 and i only knew a little more than the dads at the time. did those dads know anything other than basic safes and outs? 99% of the time the answer is no. you take what you can get, you get what you pay for...they get no money, they get no rule book. they just do it so their kids can play the game, so thank god they even showed up.

i should have made every other word all capitals...

I always refused to have a Dad work the bases for me. Not knowing even the most basic of rules, they get you into trouble every time. They mean well, but that's not good enough.

Bob

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by ChucktownBlue

Sounds like a great idea. Problem is, the coaches don't remember where the books are since they don't touch them since the day the books are put into their grubby little hands!

Unfotunately, over the years I worked with many officials who fit that description. And that includes baseball, softball, football and basketball. And those were FED certified.

Bob

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by bluezebra

I always refused to have a Dad work the bases for me. Not knowing even the most basic of rules, they get you into trouble every time. They mean well, but that's not good enough.

Bob

There is a PONY League here that does it this way:

Mustang League - BU is a coach from Bronco League.

Bronco League - BU is a coach from Pony League.

Pony League - uses 2 real umpires.

These coaches are on a rotation, much in the same fashion as the snack bar ladies and scorekeepers from each team. It's all laid out on a chart so everyone knows when it's their turn.

I've observed some of these guys umpiring, and some of them weren't too bad. When I did this level, I always preferred working alone to having a helper, but at this league, that is not an option.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Everything in LL - and I mean EVERYTHING - is about money. Why would the rule books be an exception?

Good to see someone has leapt into reality.

[njdevs00cup]

We have Cerbo League rules, during summer and fall ball. I don't know if these are unique to NJ. No umpires in our association have a rulebook (I don't think one exists). You have a twenty minute pre-game discussing every scenario, because when teams travel rules were enforced differently. I had a coach tell me that they played a game (13U) in which contact with the catcher was ignored, just like the majors. I informed him that would not be the case in this game!