Rookie Umpire

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

boboman,

All good advice in the posts above.

One opportunity you might want ot consider is a clinic being held in Wheaton this spring called "Blue School". They run six 3-hour sessions on Sunday afternoons from 3-6PM. Dates this year are 3/8,15,22,29 and 4/5 & 19 (consecutive, but they skip Easter). A bit of a drive from Crestwood, but at least the traffic tends to be pretty light on Sundays.

I have not personally attended (though I may this year), but I have heard very favorable comments from a number of acquaintances who have. The cost is $175 ($150 if you sign up with a "buddy") which strikes me as very reasonable.

In addition to the instruction, you might very well meet some folks from your area who could help you find an association or assignor who can help you get started working games in the spring.

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.

[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.

[tballump]

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.

Kevin--Where did you find information about all minor league players. I know they have records of all the major league players in books and on the internet, but I did not know they have the records of all minor-league players on the net or in a book. I assumed there were some archived records of all the minor-league players at the minor league office in St. Pete, if you could get your hands on them. But I did not know these records were anywhere to be checked out on the net or in a book. Could you let me know where you found information on all the former minor league players? 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?

[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.

[piaa_ump]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

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?

Im going to agree that is the coach who "used to umpire" or "I'm an umpire too" that is the worst.......

They arent playing in the game so I could care less what their actual playing stats are or never were....

[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?

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by 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)

Are you suggesting the guy who runs the Blue School is a liar and an umpire who cries if someone yells at him? Or are you suggesting that some of the Blue School instructors are fabricating their backgrounds and that is part of a larger Chicago tradition of false resumes and since the umpire who cried is from Chicago and the Blue School staff are from Chicago they must both be liars?