Odd Gum Ritual?
 

Just found this:

Ump’s odd gum-flinging ritual offends fans | For The Win

That's a lot of gum!

Anyone have their own ritual - not stepping on the line, food before a game, shoes, socks?

Just curious.

When I work the plate, I always wear a cup.:cool:

I think it's bad luck to have a ritual.

Day games or night games, Bob?

Tim.

From the article:

Damn, he must really wear out his arm when he's doing that while working the plate.

I usually give the Sign of the Cross and say a quick prayer right after the catcher throws it down in the top of the first inning. Nothing more than, "God, don't let anyone get seriously hurt out here, and don't let me suck too bad."

Yes, unless I know before hand that it is a credit game, I will always ask who is paying and when.

Simple ritual.

That is what I say every time I step behind the Plate to umpire a girls' 10U fast pitch softball game. :p And remember, I am Jewish (which is another story altogether from my soccer officiating days. :p

MTD, Sr.

Tim, I have two identical cups, one for night games and one for day games.

And DeNucci, are you going to tell us that you are Irish next?:)

If they're identical, how can you tell the difference? There's nothing more tacky than wearing a day cup during a night game. Well, white umpire shirts after Labor Day might be worse...........

Tim.

And remember, if the game ends after sunset, the plate guy must wear a plate coat, no matter the weather.

It's true, it's true -- I heard it on the Internet, after all.

Ritual
 

My one ritual: before I work the dish, one of my groupies checks that all vital equipment is worn properly.

Not in Texas, It's too dang hot after March.

You obviously don't understand the meaning of "must". If we have to do it in The Midwest, you guys in ten gallon hats don't get a pass!

Tim.

Obviously you never tried to put a mask on a ten gallon hat. The brim makes mask hang about four inches from your face. LOL

ôlô
 

And yes Rich that is how it was taught in the golden age of umpiring.

And I lived that rule until retirement.

T

You know I love my plate coats -- I have a navy one and a black one. But your rule is impossible in most places in the country unless you want to lose 10 pounds in sweat/water every game.

Good umpire or not so good umpire, the guy is a slob. He deserves to be booed.

Perhaps. But the MLB game doesn't lack for slobs in general. Some dugouts aren't fit for human occupancy after a couple of innings...

I really want the ball to land in one of the globs just to see what happens next.

Or one of his partners steps in it.

It is completely disrespectful to the people maintaining the field.

But then, so is the way the players treat the dugout.

Rita

Spit, garbage, junk - it's where most rats choose to live and raise their young.

ôiô
 

Joe Torre has told Mr. Baker to NEVER throw his gum on the field of play again.

The MLB umpires I've run across over the years have never struck me as being that bright, or charming. Quite the opposite, I'm afraid. So doing something like this doesn't shock me.

It's one thing to make a mess of the dugout, locker room, or umpire room. But the field, to me, should be held in the respect it deserves.

They all used to wear coats, ties, and stupid looking hats on the field, and behind the plate............I used to feel sorry for those guys...........:(

Spittle, oysters, hillbilly hanky products, sunflower seed shells, tobacco juice... There isn't a baseball or softball field on the planet that is getting that kind of respect. ;)

True, but gum is in a different category. It is equivalent to taking a dump on the field due to the consequences of stepping in it. Actually, gum is worse.

I would much rather scrape gum off of my shoes. It's not even close, IMO.