What Was Your Worst Call...?

[Mountaineer]

Mine was horrible! First time ever on the field. In WV because of the sheer numbers, first year umpires are eligible to work HS varsity games - potential problem! I had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Routine grounder to SS throws to third to retire the lead runner - no brainer, right? WRONG! I had no brains! Since I didn't see a tag, I not only called her safe - I SOLD the freakin' call - bigtime!! The coach was furious (rightly so) and called time and came out and was gonna let me have it. Fortunately for me, I had about 8 years of HS basketball under my belt so I knew how to handle a coaches confrontation. I was wrong - knew it - but he was soooo mad and made such a spectacle I decided to not eat the call. I let him talk for a few minutes, say his peace and then I told him the conversation was over. I told him (visitor) his choice was to go back to the bench or head to the bus and started back to the C position - PRAYING he would be on the way to the dugout! Instead of 1 out with 2 runners, we've got bases loaded with 0 outs! What a goof!!

Anyway, no one scored so no one got hurt and I learned a very, very valuable lesson in taking my time to make the call!

[WooPigSooie]

My first year doing high school. 22 years old, wet behind the ears. I have been studying the rules left and right to make sure I had all these ambiguous rules engrained in my mind. There is a huge shortage of high school umpires in my area, so to have two umpires at a game is just a flat out bonus.

I am by myself working a three-way. In a highly competitive game, the pitcher throws a ball over the head of the batter. The batter ducks. Leaves the bat in the air. I hear the ping and, BIG MISTAKE, immediately say foul ball. Unfortunately for me, the ball had it the barrel square and rolled fair. The catcher picks up the ball and tags the batter. I call the B/R out. The offensive coach goes nuts and nukes me. I keep my call the same. I completely froze. I knew in the back of my mind that I should have kept it a foul ball. Either way, I was going to get hammered.

I lost about 3 nights of sleep over that one and still cant look that coach in the eye. Oh well...you live and learn. Because of that, I make certain that a ball is foul before I ever say anything.

[wadeintothem]

I was perfect my first game and i've improved every game thereafter.


oh wait..

[SWFLguy]

We have all had our "moments" and my most recent came
in a very sloppy game. I know--there is no excuse, but we
had so many base runners and the infield fly was on-then
off so many times, I lost track---a batter hits a pop up down near
3rd base and I yell out--"infield fly-batter is out if fair" !!!
ooops !!
1st base was open !!
My partner laughed !

[UMP 64]

Calling a high quality HS tourney in KY, MY Partner, PU, pointed fair, on a low pop fly ball towards 1st base. F1, F2 & batter/runner all running toward what seemed like the same spot and a sure train wreck about to happed. Some how. no contact, B/R made it to 1B unscaved and untouched. No one touched the ball. Ball landed and rested left of the line so PU signals fair ball. We know the rest of the story...................wrong line. PU proceeds to explain to the def/coach, that we seldom see running lane lines "at home", and assumed that the running lane line must have been the foul line. We fixed it.

[IRISHMAFIA]

WOW, almost 15 months!!!

[bluezebra]

"The 3rd basemen throws the ball home and the catcher stomps hardly on home plate."

How does someone hardly stomp on home plate? She either stepped on the plate, or did not.

Bob

[Al]

Originally Posted by bluezebra

"The 3rd basemen throws the ball home and the catcher stomps hardly on home plate."

How does someone hardly stomp on home plate? She either stepped on the plate, or did not.

Bob

The catcher stomped (jumped) on the plate in a very dramatic and conclusive fashion Bob as if to say... "YES, she's out... we win!!! She obviously thought there was a force out at the plate.

[WestMichBlue]

A funny one happened years ago in a 12U rec BB game, runners at 1B and 2B, one out, routine ground ball to SS. Tinkers to Evers to Chance is running through my mind as I move out from behind the plate to the right side to take the play at 2B and then to 1B.

But there is no ball! SS went to 3B and all I see is a cloud of dust. I immediately pointed to the 3B coach and yelled, "your call!" "Out," he replied, with a pretty good hammer.

Learned then never to anticipate.

A cruder lesson was hammered home a few years ago in the 18U Championship game at a summer tournament. Though I had been umpiring for many years, I was still struggling with my base mechanics. Anyway, runner on 2B, soft liner to LF. Runner hesitates so I quickly move in front of her to get inside. Then she goes and I pivot and only need a few steps to 3B - where I nearly run into the PU in perfect position to make the call. He does - then turns to me and snarls, "Git the F out of here - that is my call!" He said it in a way that I was the only one to hear it - and hear it I did!

Since that day, I make sure that I watch "my runners" and when the lead runner passes 2B I don't even look back.

WMB

[wadeintothem]

Well.. watching the major league oops video of Ed Hickox's beautiful sell out *snicker* on the uncaught ball play at the plate in the little ball forum reminds me of a very bad call of mine..

Something like this

NFHS Varsity, partner no show.. working by myself

R1@3B - ball hit to F6 R1 goes.. F6 throws home.
Slide play at the plate.. Sell out
BR (now R?) goes to 2B
F2 throws to 2B, gets her.
Sell out #2..

but wahhhhattss all the hubbub bub..

EVERYONE but me, including my son (an umpire watching from behind the backstop) saw the catcher drop the ball on the play at the plate, pick it up quickly and throw to second. There wasnt even a chance for "show me the ball" .. it was a catch/tag/release.

Outs stood too, no way to reverse it.

My bad.