Our normal June start got a rare boost this weekend even though the host town got 14" of white.

Marquette, Michigan which is in the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and touching Lake Superior, hosted a seven team DIII/DII women's tourney, in the Northern Michigan University football dome.

With home plate in opposite end zones, we had two games going every two hours and shook off some of the rust gathered since the last game in August.

<s>Ground rules</s> Ceiling Rules were:<LI>Balls striking the overhead press box over home plate were foul<LI>Balls striking the ceiling, speakers or lights were in play.

The rug deadened so much of the sound we couldn't hear the fans, or the the head coaches if they were more than 75' away. If they weren't yelling we had trouble hearing them 40' away.

The eight umpires used the <u>Officials Room</u> which was an elevator ride to the 2nd level where the 16'x20' lounging room was flanked by two 10'x20' shower/changing rooms.

Oh, well.... Unless I happen to catch a Fed game in May, I'm only gonna read about it until June.

It was fun and quite interesting. Being around those athletes is always a real treat.

mick

Mick,

Sounds fun and interesting. I have never called a game in a
dome. A couple of years ago, at one time, a couple of the teams were
trying to get the Astro Dome for playoff games, but it never
developed. If any softball other than celebrity and MLP's has
taken place in the Dome, I am unaware of it. I understand several
of the "colder States" have domes though. Did a ball from the other
field every come into play? Should not have, but you never know.

Glen,
...Well, yes and no.
Homeruns and doubles came in from the other field, ... but they were not in play. ;)

A single, short 48" high fence separated the two outfields.
It wasn't much of a problem. Maybe each game was interrupted 3-4 times.
mick