What Did He Expectorate?

[cbfoulds]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

What kind of field do you prefer for winking it off?

If we're talking MY "preference": none. Where the Rule exists, I happily enforce it.

I am, however, aware [and thus not shocked to discover] that in some parts of the world [even around where I live] SOME umpires "wink off" tobacco [and other similar] rules in some leagues involving older players.

It is just that the Rules about tobacco have been so drummed into the HS/FED consciousness [there is a tobacco question, I think about every year, on the FED certification tests], and tobacco has been flat ILLEGAL [criminal] to possess on school property, even here in Virginia, for so long - well, I just can't envision that as one of the "no big deal" Rules [I am not endorsing ANY "no big deal" Rules attitudes, merely recognising the existence of same] for, well - anybody. Lah me.