Old WIves' Tale? Rule Book on the Field?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by noobie
This question is more out of curiosity than anything else.

I keep reading (here and elsewhere) advice to umpires to never bring a rule book onto the field. I think I understand the reasons why we wouldn't want to. But it's an old, old piece of advice -- I remember being told this as early as 1982.

Today, I was reading the OBR (yeah, yeah, I know, different sport), and in its Rule 9.05, GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO UMPIRES, it says "Carry your rule book. It is better to hold the game up for ten minutes to decide a knotty problem than to have a game thrown out on protest and replayed."

That statement just makes common sense to me. What's a "knotty problem" depends on our experience level, particularly in one-man ump systems.

I violate the unwritten rule all the time: I pack a current ASA rule book in my bag, but I never whip it out during the course of a game. Fortunately, I've never really had to. But it doesn't take much imagination to conjure up a nightmare where consulting the rule book on the field might make the difference between a protest and not.

I know we have a group of really experienced Blues out there. What say you? (Besides "memorize the rule book"?)

TIA, folks.

Well, memorizing the book isn't a bad thing, but the book is nothing without the associated clinics and/or schools.

I always have a rule book nearby. I keep two in my equipment bag, two in my briefcase, one next to my computer, one at work and one in the car. Okay, a little overkill, but as everyone on here knows, I'm anal about the rules.

And I will discuss a rule with anyone after a game and show them in the book to what I am referring as long as that individual is within complete control of their facilities and calm.

However, I will never bring one out during the game as an umpire. As a UIC of a tournament, I often keep one in my pocket. If a team wants to protest a call, no problem, sign the scorebook and move on. If Championship Play, call the UIC (suggest, however, that the call actually be protestable and you have exhausted your discussion with the manager before summoning the UIC).

Another point here is that if you bring that book out for one play, be prepared to bring it out a few more times. Even if there is no doubt, the first time a manager feels his team has been slighted and you tell them you will not reference the rule book, the chances of a pending ejection grow tremendously.