Worst thing you've seen an umpire do - Page 2

kellerumps · #16 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 30, 2005, 10:44pm

Happened to the Mrs. the other in a JV game(She was filling in.....). I guess her partner who was working the bases called "Time" very loudly and then proceeded to pull a hankey from his pocket to blow his nose very loudly. I wish I could have seen her face. According to our daughter and her boyfriend it was priceless....

Rachel · #17 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 30, 2005, 11:10pm

U12 Umpire calls time in the middle of the count and yells at the on deck batter to tuck in her shirt. Calls time in the middle of an at bat.to draw in the batters box with a bat. Then ends the game with a called third strike that the catcher had to dive for.

Next weekend, Comes to my field (not his game) and tells the players in the dugout that they have to sit on the benches in the dugout and not on the backrests of the benches.

Haven't seen him work a tournament since.

whiskers_ump · #18 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 30, 2005, 11:14pm

Rachel,

You told me you would not tell that story.

Just kidding guys/gals it was not I. I don't draw
batter boxes.

SF · #19 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 12:52am

I remember this happened last fall during that time when many of our umps are working volleyball. One team gets a player on base with some speed and after the pitcher releases the ball she takes off for second. The pitch hits the ground and my partner calls "time! dead ball, runner goes back to first." I didn't even know what to think when a hear the coach grumble "I don't even read the rulebook and I know that's not right." At the half inning I tried to explain that if a pitch hits the ground it is not a dead ball, but he told me I was wrong and that in baseball if it hits the ground it's dead. I just remember that being a game I wanted to end.

IRISHMAFIA · #20 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 01:35am

Quote:

Originally posted by SF
...but he told me I was wrong and that in baseball if it hits the ground it's dead. I just remember that being a game I wanted to end.

Should have thanked him for his help, but he had to go because it's obvious there was a baseball game somewhere out there without an umpire.

NorthAlaUmp · #21 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 07:48am

Back the first year I started calling, I had my first plate. It was a middle school game and in about the second inning, the pitcher threw a hard high pitch that my eyes followed all the way into the catchers glove. I gave a good, loud call of "Ball."

Catcher and batter both look at me in astonishment. I look out at my BU in B position and he is slowly shaking his head in wonder and trying to keep from laughing out loud. (I think the coaches of both teams were also laughing, but I sure wasn't going to look!!)

I asked the batter, "You swung at that, didn't you?" She nods her head yes. I laugh, change the ball to a strike and go on with the game. I also vowed never to do that again, and as best I know, I haven't yet! It also tought me never to be so proud of a call that I can't change it when I'm obviously wrong!

wadeintothem · #22 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 08:36am

hey, thats a good one.. I had a DOH moment similar to that in a Var double header two days ago.. 2nd game Im BU, play at 3B, runner is out, I yell out and signal safe.

Blah!!! I hate when I do dumb crap..

Joker in the crowd stands up and says "Blue means way out" and does a out call incorporated with a safe call "Waaaaaaaaayyy out".

Ah well, i'm not ump of the year like yall.

Rachel · #23 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 09:24am

I did that once in a varsity game about 5 years ago. The first base coach said "hey blue, should we go with what you did or what you said?" Went with safe. I think that is when I really started to learn to take the picture and wait to make the call.

IRISHMAFIA · #24 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 10:45am

Did not witness this, but two of my fellow umpires whom I sent to the Men's A East in Dothan a few years ago couldn't wait to tell me about it. This gentleman is out of the FL panhandle and I have since met and worked games with him which can be a trip in itself. He's a very nice guy and some of you on here may know him.

The story I got was:

This gentleman was working 1B in a 3-ump system. Apparently, on a ground ball, F3 took exception to how close the runner came to colliding with him as he crossed the base and got in his face.

Well, this guy pulls out a yellow penalty flag, throws it in the air and announces "unsportsmanlike conduct, 15 yards". The players apparently just stared at him and then broke up and went back to their respective position/dugout.

Great job breaking up a situation that probably wasn't going to get better by itself. I'm all for a bit of levity on the field, but a penalty flag at a National? I don't think I'm ready for that.

scottk_61 · #25 (**permalink**) Sat Apr 02, 2005, 01:14pm

Quote:

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA
Did not witness this, but two of my fellow umpires whom I sent to the Men's A East in Dothan a few years ago couldn't wait to tell me about it. This gentleman is out of the FL panhandle and I have since met and worked games with him which can be a trip in itself. He's a very nice guy and some of you on here may know him.

The story I got was:

This gentleman was working 1B in a 3-ump system. Apparently, on a ground ball, F3 took exception to how close the runner came to colliding with him as he crossed the base and got in his face.

Well, this guy pulls out a yellow penalty flag, throws it in the air and announces "unsportsmanlike conduct, 15 yards". The players apparently just stared at him and then broke up and went back to their respective position/dugout.

Great job breaking up a situation that probably wasn't going to get better by itself. I'm all for a bit of levity on the field, but a penalty flag at a National? I don't think I'm ready for that.

That had to be Mr H. I have worked with him many times and in many places. I have seen the yellow flag a time or two also.
Best of all, have you ever seem his "teeth and glasses?"
Even the "Whip" from down here gives way on that one.

wadeintothem · #26 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 03, 2005, 12:04am

hmm where did i put that yellow flag....

Stat-Man · #27 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 03, 2005, 08:29pm

Our JV team had an away game about 3 years ago and when we got there, the field wasn't ready yet. As the home team is trying to find the holes for mounting the bases, one of the umpires comes up to our coach and tells her if the field isn't ready at 4:30 (game time), she will have to forfeit. Needless to say, she was a bit shocked.

Fortunately, one of our parents is involved with the city's youth leagues and had temporary bases available. Probably the first and only HS game I'll ever see firsthand with a pillow-style base mounted down in all for corners.

And near the end of the second game of the doubleheader, the umpire apologized to our coach for the earlier comment.

rhsc · #28 (**permalink**) Tue Apr 05, 2005, 01:01pm

Quote:

After reading these, I still think I have you all beat, but I'll wait another page before posting it. [/B]

OK, lets have it. [/B][/QUOTE]

Still waiting for the worst sitch Mc.

#29 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 06, 2005, 07:26am

OK. I also waited for mcrowder. But here's my input.

D1 college game. Bang bang play at home. PU goes into ready position (like they're about to make a great "sell" call), then immediately calls TIME and goes to BU (in B slot) to ask what they saw. After PU-BU conference, PU then makes a call. Needless to say, this umpire never worked another college game again.

Serg

mcrowder · #30 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 06, 2005, 08:33am

Worst I've seen - supposed 20-year umpire. He's BU, I'm at the plate. Pop up to 2nd base with no one on. Fans all scream as F4 is trying to catch it, and he drops it. I hear "Interference! Batter's out!" I didn't see interference, but was not going to contradict him on the field. Between innings (this old boy had to visit with me between every half-inning) I ask him what happened. "Verbal Fan Interference."

OK, fine - new one on me, too late to fix.

2nd game, he's behind the plate. One out, R2. Catcher catches a 1-hopper for swinging strike 3 and fires to third to catch R2 stealing, I call him out. PU is yelling, "Batter's out! Batter's Out!" as batter makes it to 1st without a throw. Coach goes nuts, gets ejected. Assistant (a wiser man) approaches PU calmly and asks him to discuss the call with me. Much to my shock he does. Turns out he knows the ball bounced - but ruled batter out because catcher fielded the ball cleanly. I tell him he's wrong (no one else can hear us), and he yells at me, for all to hear, "You're a F$^#&ing idiot!" and returns to the plate. Poor assistant coach doesn't know to protest.

He never worked for us again either.