Dixie Youth World Series

[voiceoflg]

I had the chance to do PA for a Dixie Youth World Series game in LaGrange, Ga. and it was a BLAST! I haven't been to a world series of any organization in a few years and almost forgot how much fun it was. The roller coaster of emotions, the playing extra hard, and the umpiring. For the first time I paid close attention to the umpiring since I read and learn from this board.

Some observations.

A pitcher had walked about four or five batters in the first inning and he was near tears. The coach came out to settle down his pitcher. When the PU went out to break up the meeting, he also said a few words to the kid, probably to help settle him down as well. The games are about the kids first and I thought that was classy of the PU to do that.

The BR was called safe on a bang-bang play and F3 actually started arguing with the 1BU. The umpire let him know quickly and forcefully that it wasn't his place to argue a call. The kid walked the ball back to the pitcher and slapped his glove against his thigh a couple of times in frustration, but he didn't argue another call.

A different pitcher but the same team as the first example thought the PU had a small strike zone. I thought differently as he was calling easily a ball width or slightly more off the outside corner consistently to both teams all day long. I thought it may have been a tad wide, not small, but it was the same every time. The pitcher got very animated and the PU turned around to "clean the plate" and talk to the catcher. I got a kick out of that because the plate didn't have much dirt on it at all. F2 immediately went out to talk with F1 and the pitcher didn't get as agitated the rest of his outing.

I enjoyed it thoroughly. The director of that game was friendly but very professional. He was right there to help me do the PA the Dixie Youth way. I got a good education watching the umps at this level do their jobs. I was glad to have done it.