anyone wish Ron Luciano was still around?

[bniu]

I know he's not exactly the "Professional" image that umpires should be, but ya gotta admit, the guy is absolutely hilarious! I wish he was still around, sad that he committed suicide a while back. One thing I like to see is umpires showing some humor out on the field, whether it's a harmless prank or an exaggerated stunt that lets the crowd see that they're human and not robots and yet can still do our job to the highest professional standards. The game it seems has become far too serious and it's like the joy of the game is being sapped out by this sterile professional image that everyone seems to want. I'm not saying that all umpires should be like Ron Luciano, but more of a healthy balance between having fun and being professional...

[JRutledge]

Ah.....no.

Peace

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by bniu

I know he's not exactly the "Professional" image that umpires should be, but ya gotta admit, the guy is absolutely hilarious! I wish he was still around, sad that he committed suicide a while back. One thing I like to see is umpires showing some humor out on the field, whether it's a harmless prank or an exaggerated stunt that lets the crowd see that they're human and not robots and yet can still do our job to the highest professional standards. The game it seems has become far too serious and it's like the joy of the game is being sapped out by this sterile professional image that everyone seems to want. I'm not saying that all umpires should be like Ron Luciano, but more of a healthy balance between having fun and being professional...

Well, the question was "anyone wish Ron Luciano was still around?" Since Rutledge is a cynic, he can't answer for all of us. Yes, I wish he was still around on the planet, but not umpiring. I'm not the type to celebrate someone taking their own life. I wouldn't even wish that on Obama. Luciano was a fine author and had funny stories in his books, but his style of umpiring would not set well with the modern-day, totally anal umpiring community of today's world.

He was enjoyable for me to watch growing up, when I didn't know anything about umpiring, and I loved his books. I guess he had seen all he wanted of this messed up world, and decided to suck the exhaust pipe.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Well, the question was "anyone wish Ron Luciano was still around?" Since Rutledge is a cynic, he can't answer for all of us.

He asked a question and I gave an answer. I was not speaking for anyone but me. I personally did not spend my time trying to figure out all the idiosyncrasies of umpires like many people here. And I really do not go around worshiping officials from decades ago that jumped around like jumping beans to make a simple and easy call.

Peace

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

He asked a question and I gave an answer. I was not speaking for anyone but me. I personally did not spend my time trying to figure out all the idiosyncrasies of umpires like many people here. And I really do not go around worshiping officials from decades ago that jumped around like jumping beans to make a simple and easy call.

Peace

I still wish he were still around, as in living. I took the question to mean that, not that he could be an umpire at age 72.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I still wish he were still around, as in living. I took the question to mean that, not that he could be an umpire at age 72.

I took it as an umpiring issue and the way he umpired, not actually umpiring at the age of 72. Unless you personally knew the man, then you probably would not hear many of his stories now would you?

Peace

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Unless you personally knew the man, then you probably would not hear many of his stories now would you?

I read all three of his books several times each, so I think I've heard (through the printed word) most of his stories without actually knowing the man.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I read all three of his books several times each, so I think I've heard (through the printed word) most of his stories without actually knowing the man.

OK.

Peace

[tballump]

Not to switch sports on you guys here, but I will mention the names of Mendy Rudolph, Earl Strom, Ritchie Powers, Jake O'Donnell. Although not as flamboyant as Ron was in his sport, each was definitely not as sterile as their sport has turned out to be for their officials. This is the style now for all officiating it seems. Maybe that is because the powers that be all thought a guy like Ron was going way to far overboard and wanted to clamp down. It was not done overnight, but now, it appears that any styles are the exception rather than the rule. So be it. If that is what they want, that is what they will get. As long as you know how they want it, you can adapt.

[ozzy6900]

Well, this thread went to hell in a hurry!

[David B]

Originally Posted by bniu

I know he's not exactly the "Professional" image that umpires should be, but ya gotta admit, the guy is absolutely hilarious! I wish he was still around, sad that he committed suicide a while back. One thing I like to see is umpires showing some humor out on the field, whether it's a harmless prank or an exaggerated stunt that lets the crowd see that they're human and not robots and yet can still do our job to the highest professional standards. The game it seems has become far too serious and it's like the joy of the game is being sapped out by this sterile professional image that everyone seems to want. I'm not saying that all umpires should be like Ron Luciano, but more of a healthy balance between having fun and being professional...

He was good for baseball back then. Baseball was suffering from an identity crisis and he helped put some life back into the game.

Was he actually a good umpire - I don't think so, but then baseball is full of "not so good umpires" who have lasted forever.

Today baseball would not put up with his character especially with TV and all. The players would not like it because he would show them up etc.,
But as far as helping to make it entertaining, he did a great job.

Thanks
David

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I still wish he were still around, as in living. I took the question to mean that, not that he could be an umpire at age 72.

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I watched Joe West in person in Baltimore last week, and I'd take a 72 year old Luciano over him, dead or alive. Joe can't move at all, and can't raise his hands over his shoulders any more. He was U1, and on a towering fly ball near the pole, he never left the dirt, and never made a call. None. And what's he going to do on a trouble ball to the gap? Phone a friend?

MLB is in the entertainment business, like it or not. The way they hire their umpires, and keep them around FAR past their prime is stupid. I'm not saying we need entertainers as arbitors, but they need a higher quality out there the match the players on the field. As it is, these guys stay on the field FAR too long. And having West as their boss won't change things.

Luciano got me into umpiring at age 11. His antics made the game fun to watch, and I emulated those calls when I was a kid. Gunning guys out at first, blowing the smoke off the barrels, and reholstering them was part of the fun. Right or not, I watched games when he umpired.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Sure, the umpire should be there to take the attention away from the players, and to take the job of entertaining the paying customers onto himself. Very professional.

I wish Luciano the author was still around, but not Luciano the umpire.

I love it when I call a whole game that's being watched by people that I've known for years, and they don't even notice that it's me until I'm leaving the field. That is a clear indication that I did my job and left the attention for the players.

[UMP25]

Say what you will about Luciano, but he humanized umpires in a way few have been able to do--perhaps in both a positive and negative way, or one or the other. That's up to one's opinion, of course. However, he made the game interesting (to say the least) and brought some laughter to many faces.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by kylejt

\



MLB is in the entertainment business, like it or not. The way they hire their umpires...

You mean passing up qualified white guys just to hire more minorities simply to look good in the eyes of the public? Discrimination is wrong regardless of color. Too bad MLB doesn't realize this.