Rookie Umpire

[Rcichon]

Observe, observe, observe.

Ask many questions.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I've always been amazed by guys who claim to teach professional mechanics and all when they themselves have never been to pro school and work pretty much high school ball and below.

Why are you amazed?

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I've always been amazed by guys who claim to teach professional mechanics and all when they themselves have never been to pro school and work pretty much high school ball and below.

Ump25,

I'm a little puzzled as to who the "guys" are that you refer to.

I have a printed brochure I received at an association meeting last week which features 3 Blue School instructors, 2 of whom are Brinkman School graduates (one in 1988, the other in 1990), one of whom spent six years as a minor league umpire.

Are you suggesting that they are lying?

JM

[UMP25]

Now I would never say that, would I?

Let's just say that more than one person there isn't what--or who--he says he is. This somehow seems to be a rather common thing about some Chicago area umpires. Take the gentleman who talked his way into the Northern League by introducing himself as "John Doe, former Double-A crew chief." (name redacted)

I saw this guy work a preseason Northern League game this year and thought, "There's no way in hell that this guy even attended professional umpire school." Because of my contacts in MiLB, I was asked to find out if this guy was who he said he was. He wasn't. He never even attended either of the two schools. Justin Klemm of PBUC verified he never was an MiLB umpire.

Of course, all this should have been obvious when he was crying on the field after an argument with a manager over balls and strikes. (I kid you not. The guy was crying after the manager of the Schaumburg Flyers got into a big argument over balls and strikes, threw his cap at this umpire, and more. And no, Skip was never even ejected.)

[Ump153]

The number of sleazy umpires who lie about past pro experience is exceeded only by the number of rats who lie about past pro experience.

[UMP25]

Indeed.

[Kevin Finnerty]

How about, "I was with the Yankees and the Tigers for eight years"?

And then you go home and look the guy up and he never even made a minor league roster.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

How about, "I was with the Yankees and the Tigers for eight years"?

And then you go home and look the guy up and he never even made a minor league roster.

Maybe he swept the clubhouse.

[boboman316]

All great information and thank you for it. Does anybody have any websites to some additional resources that I can read as I prepare for this upcomming season. Like most people, I learn better when I actually do something, but I would like to gain as much background knowledge as possible. Thanks,

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Ump153

The number of sleazy umpires who lie about past pro experience is exceeded only by the number of rats who lie about past pro experience.

What's more annoying...the rats lying about being a former pro player or the rat who "used to umpire"?

For me, it's the rat who "used to umpire"...umpire what? your son's little league game from behind the pitcher's mound?

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by boboman316

I'm getting into my first year of umpiring baseball in Illinois. Anybody have any helpful resources, websites, or additional information that would help a rookie like myself. All help would be appreciated. Thanks,

If your doing high school go to ihsa.org and get info. on how to be an official. IHSA has free clinics that can be found on the website. I'd attend them before you pay $175 for Blue School. If you go there they would be talking about stuff that you would not understand. At the free clinics you could learn the basics. Also on the web site there is info. on local organizations that you can join. The only assignor that I'm aware of at Blue School assigns West Suburban Conference. Great conference but driving to games from Crestwood would not be worthwhile.

[Kevin Finnerty]

One time some guy was bragging about being the backup catcher on the Braves in the late-60s. Cool story. Except, he couldn't remember that Joe Torre was the guy he was backing up. Easy guy to forget, I guess.

We made him take his weak act to another sports bar.

[SAump]

Originally Posted by boboman316

All great information and thank you for it. Does anybody have any websites to some additional resources that I can read as I prepare for this upcomming season. Like most people, I learn better when I actually do something, but I would like to gain as much background knowledge as possible. Thanks,

Read the following adobe.pdf file.
American Legion Baseball
http://www.baseball.legion.org/forms/umpiresmanual.pdf
Northwest Baseball
http://www.nbua.com/training/NBUA%20...s%20Manual.pdf
Massechusetts Baseball link to umpire manual
http://massbua.tripod.com/otherwebsites.html
GHSA
http://www.ghsa.net/files/GHSA%20UMP...MANUAL2008.pdf
Little League Rules
http://www.fcll.org/2008_Umpire_School_Rules_Manual.pdf



National Softball Association
http://www.playnsa.com/pdfs/2002umpiremanual.pdf
NCAA Softball
http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/cham...PreviewState=0
More softball
http://www.ncnsasoftball.net/Fast%20...0Mechanics.doc

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Of course, all this should have been obvious when he was crying on the field after an argument with a manager over balls and strikes. (I kid you not. The guy was crying after the manager of the Schaumburg Flyers got into a big argument over balls and strikes, threw his cap at this umpire, and more. And no, Skip was never even ejected.)

No. Freaking. Way. Was it wrong of me to chuckle at that?

Hey boboman316...don't be this guy!

[Cub42]

Just curious about the " former AA CC " who worked the NL S/T game. Did this non ejection happen during S/T or during the regular season?