My DD just called and left me a message. Little East Conference tournament - being hosted by Keene State College. Games scheduled for 10 am, noon, and 2 pm.

As of 1:45 pm the 10 am game was into the 19th inning. She didn't give me details, but all I can say is OUCH!! She's going back to her dorm to work on a paper.


-Kono

P.S. Being a UConn fan, I think it's great that my DD plays in the LITTLE East :D

She just called me back - Southern Maine beat Eastern CT in the bottom of the 20th with a bases loaded HBP. Score: 2-1

Would you have the nerve / stamina to call "dead ball - no attempt to avoid - ball" or "dead ball - in the strike zone - strike"

If that was the case - I can only say that I hope that I would have the nerve. Because I would hate to be on the team that lost after 20 innings because of a bad call.

DD said that PU made a point of telling the batter to touch 1st base.

Why'd he do that? Not his place.

Because he didn't want a 21st inning???? :D

That might be the worst answer you could have possibly posted.

After 20 innings - I sure wouldn't want to call everybody back on the field because of an appeal to 1st base. If that happened, I think I'd be looking for an exit in center field after the game.

With that attitude, why don't you just make calls to get the game over with whenever you decide they've gone too long.

I would seriously reprimand one of my officials that interfered in a game in such a way, merely to help the game end. We are there to OFFICIATE - not affect - the game. Would you remind a batter in any other inning at any other time of the game to touch a base? Of course not - and it's WORSE to do so in a game-ending situation.

<i>"With that attitude, why don't you just make calls to get the game over with whenever you decide they've gone too long."</i>

mcrowder,

No, I have never called with Kono, nor I have a met him.
However, judging my the big grin he placed after his post,
it was meant as a joke. From reading his posts and inputs
to others, I am sure he would not call something that was
not there to end a game, nor would he not call something
that should be called regardless of the consequences. After
all he calls a lot of LL games for hotdog and a coke. He has
to be serious about what he has chosen to do.

JMHO

If I was too harsh (or too thick to understand a joke), I apologize.

You touched on my pet peeve though - umpires who just try to get the game over with, or who change the way they call based on how long the game has gone.

That said - the actual umpire here was WAY across the line talking to the batter on that one.

Besides, blue just might have been answering the question "Do I need to touch 1st?" I don't know about ya'll but I've been misquoted or taken out of context a time or two myself.

Then you will love this one, just hope I can remember it correctly.

Well, I know there are a few guys on here familiar with umpiring in DE and they will tell you that going to the 8th inning of any championship play game will cost that crew a case of beer. These guys can smell it. You'll be working a tied game and those not on the field start gathering like vultures behind the backstop just to make sure the crew doesn't try to lie their way out of buying the beer. They also like to add a little sarcastic entertainment to the game while standing there.

A few years back I was working the plate in a Men's D Regional in DE. The score had been close the whole game and we are in the bottom of the 7th with the score tied, runner on 2B (big guy, a bit heavy) and two outs.

B2 hits a hot liner to center and R1 doesn't hesitate coming around 3B. Unfortunately, F8 had a cannon and returned the ball almost as fast as it got out there.

I'm setting up for a play and I can see this guy is going to be so dead out at the plate, they could have started digging the grave right then. The runner is huffing and puffing and I'm already thinking about the beer I'm going to have to buy when I ring this guy up. All of a sudden, F1 reaches out and snaps the throw out of the air 50 feet from the plate and R1 scores standing up.

I was in shock. The blues behind the backstop were ticked off. The pitcher just lost the game for his team.

I waited for my partner at the 3rd base egress. We headed out and I noted that we dodged a bullit. He says, no problem, I just said "cut".

I froze in my tracks and said, "You did what?" He just laughed and said, "not really, but it sounded good".

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/cheers.gif

Now that is a classic. Did, or didn't he?

He says he didn't :D