1978 Yankees Red Sox

[tballump]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

In the old days, it was considered indecisive to have any timing at all. They felt that if you called it really quick it looked like you were really sure of your call. Until umpires were blowing calls left and right, I guess. Then they came up with their "new" approach.

Come on SDS, it was your neighbor down the road who changed it.

"Harvey regarded his greatest contribution to baseball as being the introduction of a new sense of timing to umpiring; he noted that when he arrived in the major leagues, the emphasis was on making calls quickly and decisively, and said, "Everything was called too quickly. I've got a photograph of Jocko Conlan working first base. Jocko's arm was extended in the out call. But the runner was still short of the bag, and the ball was still in flight. In those days it was common to anticipate the call." Harvey, however, changed attitudes by insisting that it was better to delay the call and make sure it was correct".