I've heard some dumb things and some clever things, but this is a new one on me.

Tight ball game between two ranked D-II teams. Coach doesn't get the call she wants on a banger at the plate. She takes one step out of the dugout, stops and yells, <b>"Oh CUSS WORD!"</b> Her whole team cracked up. So did I.

Most fun I ever had with a coach - last game of the season, and by this time I know everybody. Undefeated team against crappy team, game doesn't matter in the standings. At the plate conference, it's made clear by both coaches that they are not going to be using their real pitchers, and anything remotely hittable is a strike. The game proceeded with almost a scrimmage sort of atmosphere.

Top of the last inning, my BU who joined me midseason, and had maybe 3 games under his belt already, completely blew an obvious obstruction call (he was in C, and it was on the SS), but he knew he saw SOMEthing, so he calls me in, we discuss it, I ask him what he saw, I explain the rule to him and let HIM make the obstruction call. (SS was, incidentally, the coach's daughter)

Fielding team's coach walks out toward me. As he approaches, I say, "Coach, this was his call, if you want to appeal it, go talk to him." He, now close enough that no one else can hear it, says, "Yeah, I know, I saw it too. But I have to support my daughter, right?" I say, "Fine." He says, "So, you want to give them a show?" I say OK, and we start going at it, yelling, face to face, pointing, ranting, etc., both of us trying not to bust out laughing. Then we start kicking dirt on each other. At that point, most everyone knew we were just screwing around. Then he ejects me. I eject him. So we both leave, and watch the rest from the parking lot.

Surprised young BU did ok behind the plate for the rest of the game (maybe 3 batters). I was proud of him. He still talks about that game in meetings.

I had a game earlier where as a coach was walking away she said to me "You're not only bad at balls and strikes, your bad at safes and outs too." Because the coach was walking away and the line was so good, I just laughed to myself and continued the game.

AT LEAST YOU WERE CONSISTENT

A coach once got on me when I was signing the scorebook because, according to him, I wasn't giving the outside corner to either team. I asked him one simple question, "was I consistent?"

Yes you were, but I don't like it.

Sorry you gave up 5 runs in the bottom of the seventh to lose 6-5.

Don't you understand? It was YOUR fault. It couldn't be the players or, God forbid, his lousy managing/coaching.

Bob

FUblue, I believe it was my no-call of a strike on a check swing that cost them that game. I must had forgotten that I am to call a swing on a right-handed batter while standing behind the shortstop.

Co-Rec Slowpitch:

Pitched ball hits the edge of the plate, I call Ball. Pitcher continues to hit the edge of the plate, I continue to call Ball. Pitcher walks up (happens to be the team's coach) and wants to know why I'm calling balls for the ball hitting the "black part of the plate". I tell him that when the ball hits the plate, it's a ball. He looks at me and says, "The black part of the plate isn't part of the plate!"

I just stood there and gave him the knowing "duh" look, and said, "Coach, if the black part of (using my fingers like quotes) 'the plate' isn't a part of 'the plate', then what is it? It's certainly not dirt."

He walked back to the pitcher's rubber, shaking his head and didn't say another word. Catcher's standing there laughing.

In SCMAF (Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation) rules, that IS a strike. Also, it's a strike if it hits the plate extender.

Bob

Not a strike in Seattle
 

I'll stick up for SRW, because he's one of ours. In Seattle if it hits the black it's just as dead as if it hit right in the middle of the plate.

That's also the ASA interp - black is plate.

Re: Not a strike in Seattle
 

First time for everything :D