We finally got the season rolling here in PA about 2 weeks ago.The "loonie tunes" parent/fan during a Varsity HS made me laugh to myself as she made an a## out of her self today.I was on the bases and we had an infield pop up between the pitching circle and the first base foul line.It hit in fair territory and without being touched,rolled across the foul line between home and first base and was touched by F2 in foul territory.My partner correctly signaled foul ball and this lady sitting down the third base line went crazy."That is the worst call I ever saw,I could see it landed fair all the way over here." The more she ranted,the more ridiculous she sounded."Everyone knows that the rules say that ball is fair,what is a matter with these umpires" The first base coach just looked at me embarrassed for her and just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.I think someone sitting with her finally corrected her,because we didnt hear a peep from her the rest of the way.You have got to love the knowledgeable fan!
Jeff
NCAA Umpire
NFHS Umpire
ASA Umpire

Jeff,
Can't get onto a high school field, yet - too much water - and I've lost70% of the college schedule so far. In north central Pa, many schools are now closed due to floods and lots of fields are now the bottom of a lake. I suspect that when we do get onto a field, it's gonna get busy.

Guys,

Sorry to hear about your plight! I would send a card, but been too busy. Spring break has come and we are covering 1 or 2 doubleheaders a day for the high schools (although it is baseball), covering some college SB as well as a full slate of w/e tournies!

Y'all ever thought about re-location?

Hope your weather situation improves, I'm sure it has been difficult for many folks.

beautiful weather here....... 4 games during the week...... 4-6 on the weekend.... move to the desert..life is good.

"The loonies are out already!!!"

In your area, they just hibernate, until the weather warms up. In Southern California, they're here all-year-round.

Bob

Now Bob, your just helping feed a stereotype that is not completely true... maybe 99% true, but not completely. :)

I lived in Marina del Rey for a while and though they did have more than their share of loonies, there were some really great folks out there, too. My favorite quote on the subject was from Gallagher, "Living in California is like living in a bowl of granola: what ain't fruits and nuts is flakes."

In SC (South Carolina), we're just starting back up after spring break. Beautiful night, last night. I wished we could have played two. Tonight, we <i>are</i> playing two and it is suppose to be just the same.

I got your wish, two games a little north of you; one church league, the other co-ed.
First games for me and I loved it. Missed a call, but all worked out well in the end.
I never thought ringing up a double-play would feel so good. Ive heard around here if that wears off, its time to quit officiating.
Looking foreward to Thur., three games.

Have to borrow from football for the looniest of my lunes...

Peewee football (7-8 years old - 1st year of tackle), fans are on the field.

Offensive Guard on my side gets clobbered. Lady directly behind me goes off, "You can't just let him tackle my son like that!!!!" Next play, it happens again. "That's illegal! He's going to hurt my son!!!!" Next play, it happens again - this kid is completely overmatched. The lady walks onto the field and goes off on me. I eject her and she runs out to the white-hat to go off on him about how bad I am and how everyone on the field can see that the other team is knocking her son down on every play.

Took the cops to get her off the field.

Maybe somebody told her it was soccer. :D

Steve, Sorry to hear about the weather in your area,hopefully it will stay dry for awhile so the fields dry out.I came through upstate PA two weeks ago,heading up to the National Umpire School in Syracuse,NY.They still had about 7 inches of snow on the fields up there.

Jeff

thanks, Jeff. I still have not gotten onto a high school field. Today's game has been moved to a different site since the host's field is still under a foot or so of water. Thursday's game should get played. But Friday's game involves a catholic school, they cancelled already to watch the pope's burial.....