About this time of year, I usually start thinking about what I want to do differently next year. This includes equipment uppgrades, etc.

This may seem really mundane, but I get tired of doing the mental math to compute how much time is left in a game, so I was thinking about getting a stopwatch, or even better, a countdown timer.

What do you guys use to time games?

Dakota,

I started carrying a stopwatch this year. It is great. For time limit games I start it at the end of the pregame conference, and then hang in on the backstop fence to one side of the plate area. That way the coaches can look at it between innings to see the time.

I even use it non limited games (but I keep it in my pocket). My regular partner and I have some friendly competition on the length of our plate games. He has the record with a 25 minute varsity SB game this year. (17-0 after 2 1/2 innings. I should be so lucky.)

Roger Greene,
Member UT

Honig's Company (www.honigs.com) sell a indicator with countdown timer. it also has stop watch, 2-clocks and alarm functions. it is indicator #k45c. i have used all this year and seems to be durable. be carefull though at the private owned park i do summer league in we have score keepers for all games and they normally have the stop watch and are sometimes not very good at anoucing when time was up so i was using my counter and call time with home team up by 7 2 outs 15 seconds early and the park manager ( the same one that gets upset when your behind schedule) heard about it and told uic they would perfer umps not to use them. in my mind is not the ump the one that should be in control?

Thanks, Terry.

Roger -- ever had a foul ball kill the clock? :D

I started looking around for cheap stop / countdown watches and came across this site:

<a href="http://www.fit-senior.com/acatalog/fit_senior_Stop_Watches__Timers_281.html">Watkins Fitness and Sports Equipment</a>

Check out the MODEL 225 - TIMECARD POCKET STOPWATCH and the MODEL 233 COUNTDOWN CARD.

Nope, never had it hit. Of course, its just a Walmart special. I don't even know if there is a way to change the battery. One of the kids got it for a Christmas stocking suffer and they weren't using it anymore.

Roger Greene

I use a cheap countdown timer that I have had for years...used a regular stopwatch before that. This countdown timer has a back that can hook onto stuff, like chain link, and also has a magnetic strip where you can hang it, I guess like on a fridge. Works great though.

Scott

Dakota,

I used the K45C from <b>Honig's</b>. Which is an
Indicator/countdown timer. Only 15.95. I did not
have any problems, <i>yet</i>. Several of the other
members of association have it now.

I see Terry also has tried it.

glen

". For time limit games I start it at the end of the pregame conference"

Game starts at "Play ball". You're taking away time from the teams.

Bob

Timing Devises
 

I have about 3-4 oven timers in my bag........

I have acquired them from the local grocery store for less than $4.

They have clips that you can attach to the back fence and are count-down types.

I never trust them completely......so I either use my watch or pager and give the scorekeeper the start time just in case.

As to when I start the game..........I have always started it on the first warm up pitch.

Joel

After pregame they get 5 pitches or 1 minute, whichever comes first. Just like between innings. Also, that way both coaches are there and see clock start, and can check their watches.

Thats the way everbody around here does it, and the way the UIC instructed it to be done at the Pony nationals.

By the way, in the Raleigh/Cary parks they had a count down timer on all the scoreboards. The score keepers started the clock at the break up of the pregame.

Roger Greene
Member UT

With Roger on this one. The last words spoken at the end of the pre-game meeting with the managers/coaches are, "Gentlemen/Ladies, you are on the clock."

If they still want to fool around with all the BS that goes on, THEY are taking playing time away from their team, not me.

We have a complex in Lufkin, Tx. with six fields and
they all have count down timers and time is started by
scorekeepers when pregame is over. This is always
discussed between scorekeepers and umpires when everyone
arrives. Coaches are advised "We're on the clock". If
home team dallies, only hurts warm up time, not game time.

glen

Mike,
was not trying to copy you, just took longer to review mine
than you did yours....

glen

Roger:

I do the same thing. Standing there at my pregame, after I have fielded any questions, I tell the coaches to check their watches, press the button on the timer, and let them know that we are under way.

Scott

Odd how quickly times change. Shortly after this was posted(over three years ago), I bought a cheap watch with a timer function that I wrap around the right temple guard of my face mask.

I still don't use the indicator with a timer. I don't like the feel of them. I have borrowed them to try them. Still use the old steel 4 position indicators that I have used for years.

I use a cheap countdown timer I got from Target, it hooks onto the chain link fence. It HAS been taken out by a foul ball - twice - which is why I still give the scorekeeper the start time. It's resilient, though. Both times the batteries just fell out, but when you put batteries back in, it still works just as well.

I use the angle of the sun or moon to determine time left in game!

I set my Aztec sundial behind the plate. I've upgraded it to beep when the sun reaches a certain point.

I went out and got a $5 plastic digital watch (with stopwatch), removed the band and velcro'd it to the back side of my indicator. The watch is protected in the palm of my hand and I can quickly check the time during a game (even very quickly between pitches). It works great for me.

I put my mask on the ground and put my indicator in between the bars. If there's a shadow and there's more than a 4 run differential, game's over.

In slow pitch (gack!!) I just look for a shadow, no need for anything else.

I bought the Honig's indicator with the timer/watch included. The timer works great and the feel is ok. However, the indicator only shows 3 balls, 2 strikes, and 2 outs before to resets to zeros. I usuallly loot at it when i rest to zeros, but there were several times when i was unsure if my count was right. I was wondering if i reset without looking, and manually counting off "ball 3, ball 4, zero." I got tired of being unsure and decided to back to my 4-way metal indicator. I'm more confident of my count, and it does have a better feel.

Why put the fourth ball on or the 3rd strike, or third out.

Been using the large verison of the 3B, 2S and 2O counter
for years. No problem. Don't need to indicate the 3rd
strike, or the 4th ball, nor the 3rd out. Now when I have
any of those, it rolls to zero and keeps me from messing
with it afterwards. I find it easy to keep up with.

Just find it easier.

Oh yes,

For a timer, I just put my Rolex on the hood of my Rolls
and park directly behind the backstop. Has not been hit
yet, and no one argues with I mention time has expired.
:D