NFHS--Official Meeting Location Between Innings

[Mountaincoach]

NFHS rules. 3-person officiating crew. District final game last night on a horribly cramped and small field that was far from regulation. I am not exaggerating when I say the front of the third base dugout was literally 3 feet from 3rd base. The backstop was approximately 6 feet behind the back line of the batters box. In other words, the field was certainly not regulation, and it shouldn't have been used for a district tournament. But so be it, both teams had to play on it. And I wouldn't bring it up, but it gives you a picture of why this happened.

But here's my issue in regards to the conditions. Three person officiating crew. After a couple innings, I noticed they started having routine meetings together in the middle of the infield while teams were switching sides. They started standing shoulder to shoulder directly in the center of the "triangle" formed between 1st, the mound, and home plate while facing left field. Here's where it started getting interesting--as most third basemen do nowadays, our third baseman was down the line toward home plate taking warmup throws from the first baseman (we all know the routine--they do that to keep from accidentally decapitating the pitcher with a throw). The 3rd baseman politely asked the officiating crew to move out of her line of throwing. They refused. So she politely slid on down the line and started literally throwing behind their heads to the first baseman. Why on earth would the officials take such a chance with their own safety? I realize they don't want to congregate near the fence (where people can harass them, etc.), but, for a lack of better words here, who has the right-of-way? Why would they cause such an obstacle and safety hazard for themselves when they could just have easily stood in foul territory or in shallow outfield? I am not kidding when I say the other third baseman was literally throwing balls over their heads to first. What should have happened? I was just a fan. I wasn't on the field. For all I know, one or all of them had a death wish. Lol. But it was certainly the strangest thing I've ever seen like that.

[CecilOne]

Umpires never have the "right of way"; in spite of NCAA teaching on outfield position between innings.

There are no "routine" meetings between umpires.

Both coaches or game admins should have insisted moving to the outfield, also not in the way; if a discussion is NEEDED.

[BretMan]

Nothing about the field size would have prevented these three from standing in the between inning positions described in the umpire's manual. I can't even speculate why they were standing where they were.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Nothing about the field size would have prevented these three from standing in the between inning positions described in the umpire's manual. I can't even speculate why they were standing where they were.

On that field, if only 3 feet of foul, I think I would have my mask on at 1BL extended.

[Mountaincoach]

Luckily, the 3 feet of foul was only the length of the 3rd base dugout (probably about 1/3 of the distance to home plate). It literally jutted out right into the field of play. Otherwise, they had approximately 10 feet of foul territory other than the area in front of the 1st base dugout, which was cut down to about 6 or 7 feet. I have a picture of a ball sailing through the air about 3 feet behind the umpires' heads during warmup throws. I honestly have no clue what they were thinking.

[Manny A]

Those umpires had a death wish. Why in the heck would anyone want to stand in fair territory on the infield in between innings? If they had to have routine between-inning meetings (which they shouldn't have, and should know better if they're working a district final), then take it into foul territory away from the warm-up drills. Even with such small dimensions, I'm sure there was some space they could've occupied in foul territory.

[SWFLguy]

Interesting. Never heard of such a thing. I avoided any between inning meetings even with 2 man crew. Not moving when requested was not very professional.