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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 03:18pm
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When I was coaching I always hated it when my brother would call one of our games because I was convinced he was "over-compensating" and being biased by trying not to be biased. Now that I have moved over I am glad that the only players that play softball in my family are my daughters who I am not allowed to call anyway thus never have to get in that situation. I guess my question now becomes if you are scheduled for a game with a relative (not living with you) as a coach or player, do you try to reschedule or do you see no inherent problem with this situation?
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 03:32pm
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While it doesn't fit your question exactly (the "not living with you" part), I have been scheduled several times to call my daughter's games - both her school team and her travel team. I have always rescheduled / swapped assignments.
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Tom
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 03:38pm
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The reason I threw in the "Not living with you" part is here we are not allowed to call a game with a relative living in the same house as you. As a matter of fact they had a Fed State playoff baseball game a couple of years ago from my daughter's school (And the one I graduated from) appealed and replayed and the umpire suspended because the PU was the father of a kid on the team.
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 04:08pm
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The Fed assigner here in NJ will not let you work any school that your son or daughter attends, whether your kid is on the team to be officated or not.
Even so, I did my daughter's JV game once. Had she been on the varsity, I would have told the assigner to switch me. I often did her rec games, and the main problem was with her, not opponents. She always claimed I was too hard on her. She might have been right. Maybe I was subconsciously trying to be sure I didn't favor her.
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greymule More whiskey—and fresh horses for my men! Roll Tide!
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 04:27pm
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Calling a game with your daughter on the team is not allowed here, either. Where I have been assigned to my DD's team it was usually inadvertent. I did have an assignor once, though, who just plain didn't want to be bothered keeping track of it, and told me if I wanted games, then I would have to deal with the issue on my own. So, I did.
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Tom
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 04:34pm
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Quote:
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 04:52pm
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Quote:
When I started umpiring in the 60s, my first ejection was my brother. It wasn't because I was overcompensating. He thought he could get away with being a smarta$$ because I was his brother and would get away with it. Wrong! This was an 8-team league with only 3 umpires, so there was no scheduling around it. The entire league was well aware of the situation and the issue was never raised. A few years back, another brother started playing softball and I ended up working a few of his games. In our area, we are assigned to fields and sometimes you are unaware of what teams are there. Once again, all participants were aware of the situation and no one had a problem with it. Of course, the situation should be avoided if possible, but if it comes down to me working or no game, I'm working the game assigned. It really doesn't bother me. You all know how anal I am about the game and the rules. I just see someone in a uniform.
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The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball.
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 05:23pm
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That could be it too as when I was coaching the only big confrontations I ever had was when he was calling. He never threw me out but the last game we had where I was coach and he umpire he more than likely should have
 Funny thing is now, when our schedules allow it, we get to be partners. Our sister made us promise to not talk situations at the dinner table during Christmas.Mike: You say you only see the uniform but even so does your brother ever accuse you of being subconsiously biased against by trying not to be biased?
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 05:57pm
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When I started umpiring (13–15 league) in 1965, my brother played. But there were only 4 teams and just 2 umpires. Not easy to schedule around that.
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greymule More whiskey—and fresh horses for my men! Roll Tide!
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 06:23pm
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I have no more relatives playng the game, so I don't have to worry about it. I have called twice with partners who had daughters or grnad daughters on the field. Both times, I took the plate, they had the bases and we asked the coaches before entering the field if it would be a problem. Fortunately, both my partners' reputations were so good, no one objected.
I have called a team whose coach was the other coach on my teams when we won Nationals. He hated to see me come on the field, because he knew he wasn't gonna get a break for anything. But he knew it was because everyone knew we had coached toghether for years. He was OK with it, he just told the girls they'd have to earn the win tonite. Of course, the parents weren't cheering me on when I walked on the field.  Rick [Edited by TexBlue on Jan 15th, 2004 at 05:27 PM]
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Thu Jan 15, 2004, 07:23pm
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Twice when my daughter was playing varsity, I ended up umpiring her games, because of officials being a no show. Her coach would approach the other team and let them know that his pitcher's father was an umpire, and if they agreed, he could have at least one certified umpire on the field within minutes. Otherwise, they would have to reschedule the game and the visiting team would have to make the long drive back again. Both times the opposing coach agreed.
As for calling the game, I had no problem with either side. I only had to work one game behind the plate for my daughter; the other time while I was working the JV game another (scheduled) official showed up. However, I do understand the reasons for not wanting a relative to officiate another relative's games. In all honesty, I would much rather have been just a softball dad the two times this did happen.
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Scott It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it.
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Fri Jan 16, 2004, 04:35am
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When I started playing FP, my father was an umpire. I hated it when he was working my games. I was always out on first. Mostly for not walking the 1-meter line after a bunt (then my best weapon)...
He must have been over compensating. Both my brother and I in one team, and everybody knowing he's the father. For me it was horrible. Now I'am the umpire (never worked together with my dad, and I think I'm glad with that..) and have a son (almost 2 years ols). I know now this; I might be his coach, but will never ever be his umpire!
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Fri Jan 16, 2004, 09:36am
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Never had any problems with my other brother. I had been doing it so long, he just assumed when I did or said something, I was right and told his teammates that. Go figure.
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The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball.
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Fri Jan 16, 2004, 07:34pm
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I think it matters a whole lot what level of ball we're talking about when thinking about relatives & home location & all that.
Many years ago, I think I was 17 & in my 3rd or 4th year of umpiring, I umpired a church league game that my father was playing in. As he slid into 3rd on the back end of a triple, I saw and heard his leg snap. After the ambulance cam, I finished the game, but swore I'd not do another game when family was playing. Today, I live in an area that I did not grow up in, but I know several of the local high school players and coaches. I try not to work their games during the playoffs - just because I live in the same town. I never had any kids in the local school district - we were into having ours attend a school associated with our church. I don't want anyone to have the opportunity to say anything about bias. And yet, as the top rated umpire in the district, I am usually assigned to the top games, so I do see the local team. I'm very careful on & near the field. The same for the local colle team - they are perenially ranked in the top 5 in the country. I work out with them during the indoor pre-season. [Edited by Steve M on Jan 16th, 2004 at 06:36 PM]
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Steve M
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