Little League World Series Umps

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Pete, when I was UIC for a league several years ago we used to use the local HS association umpires for our SR/Big League games and yes, we paid them for it. It was very difficult to get competent 90' umpires for those levels. We supplemented them with a few LL volunteers (myself included). I don't think I ever was looked upon with favor by the true "volunteer only" purists in our district because of hiring 'outsiders' to do LL games.

And I've been the "hired outsider" numerous times and am constantly baffled by the utter lack of umpiring coming from my partners. Including "TIE!!!!" from one of the guys, and including 2 umpires at 2nd base, both of whom missed a blatant (collision) obstruction near first. I could go on.

Let's just leave it at this ... if you want volunteers, fine. But in umpiring as everywhere else, you get what you pay for.