Hhaa! or Strike!

[mcrowder]

"Eagle!!!!"



For Strike, I'm a "Haah!" man, as if said by Metallica. Very gravelly.

And regardless of how close the call, if anyone but batter and catcher hear my "ball" call, I'd be shocked.

[tcblue13]

HEEEK (Strike)
HEEEKHREEE


ball

She's Out (close but obvious, left early)

Hhaa (banger)

I'm Starved (time to go home)

[bkbjones]

Hhhaaa!
Hhhaaaaaaaa!! for the ol' backward K if you're scoring at home. However, I do try my best to not be too showy...

Ball---same inflection every time unless I screw up.

Out call same as strike call, with the hhhaaaaaaa fer the bangers (bangers usually done one footed, if you see the photos).

SAFE! on sell safes. I take that back, usually it's SAFE! SAFE!

[CecilOne]

Let's remember that we are announcing a fact, not triumphing over evil or celebrating a player's success.

[ntxblue]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

I have never understood the need to say anything else besides the words "strike" and "ball." Guess it is a personal thing to say "hhaa" or "haghh" or "hie" or "harumph" instead of the actual word. I, though, have always used the standard English in my umpiring.

Looks like your "teacher side" is showing again . . . you're from Texas . . . can you really call your vocalization ENGLISH??

Gary

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by ntxblue

Looks like your "teacher side" is showing again

Sorry. One of the hazards of the profession.

Originally Posted by ntxblue

. . . you're from Texas . . . can you really call your vocalization ENGLISH??
Gary

Yes. Proper English at that. (Also known in some quarters as Texican! )

[DaveASA/FED]

All have given good advice, use what you are comfortable with. The only "reason" I have heard for teaching the "HUH"(more what my strike call sounds like) or "HAH" instead of the full strike is the way your voice tends to raise and crack on the "ike" part of strike. It was told to younger umpires and even older ones as the game goes on and the throat gets dry at times you tend to sound weaker or have a pitchy (ok that sounds like Simon on American Idol) and they want more solid call every time. Again not saying that is a reason to change what works for you, but I will say that prior to changing a few people at the last clinic I attended I did hear some squeaky calls that made you look accross the gym.

On other comment on Henry's "oot" call, I attended a clinic with him also, good time by the way, he said that he calls everything the same verbally on close plays, meaning sell safe and sell out is the same verbal. He started that when he had a big game with large crowd and he gave a big sell safe signal but said "oot". The fielder asked which it was, you said out but signalled safe......Henry's response?? "Son, your right, but only you and him heard oot, all the rest of these people saw safe, he's safe!" I have noticed this with a few umpires I have worked with there sell safe and sell out are the same verbal, "Haaaaaa" or "HuuuuuH" but then a strong signal for safe and the run, jump punch out.

[gsf23]

I usually say "Ha Ha" as I snicker and point..

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Let's remember that we are announcing a fact, not triumphing over evil or celebrating a player's success.

Huhhhhhhhhh?

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

... he gave a big sell safe signal but said "oot".

That's a story from Ron Luciano, I believe in a book called The Umpire Strikes Back. Luciano was a quite colorful major league umpire from the '60s and '70s.

[BretMan]

And, that very same story appears in the book "Planet of the Umps", by former major league umpire Ken Kaiser.

Must be one of those generic, older-than-dirt umpire "fish tales" that have approached the status of urban legend!