So I'm doing a game in the bottom of the 12th last night...
 

...of a NFHS game, score still tied, and this happens:

Lead off batter taps a slow roller back to the pitcher who promptly fields the ball and throws to first for a routine play. The ball hits the first baseman's glove and somehow pops out at least 5 feet straight up! By the time the first baseman had secured possession, the batter-runner had crossed first base and the first baseman had pulled her foot. My partner, a 25-year veteran, called the batter-runner out on the pop of the glove and took his eyes off the play. Of course, the offensive coach goes ballistic and immediately wants me to call her safe. I tell the coach THREE times that he must discuss the call with the field umpire first. At this time, my partner realizes something is wrong and asks me for help, and the girl is finally ruled safe.

Of course, the home team wins in the bottom of the 12th, although, ironically, this girl got thrown out at home trying to steal on a passed ball.

So my question is, if you see a blatant wrong call by your partner, do you approach him/her, or do you wait for him/her to approach you?

If its my partner's call, I'm just a spectator - until approached by him. Then we get together and talk and he can change his call.

Wait. It was my partner's call and I'm not arrogant enough to think that what I saw is always correct. But if I am asked for help, I'm giving exactly what I have.

TwoBits - where are you from? Here in Minnesota, we only play 7 innings in our Fed games. :D :D :p :D :D

Missouri, and normally we do, too!

Great, fast paced game. The first six innings only took an hour. The second six only took an hour, too!

When we go EI, the PU is penalized a round at the local watering hole.

Hey! That ain't fair. Last EI game I had, I was the PU and it was my partner, who really should have called the eventual tying run out at first (he called her safe, later admitted that he felt as though he kicked the call). So, the fault for the EI there was the BU's not the PU's. We ended up going ten.

Maybe you should have over ruled the BU. Then, the BU would have left the field and you could have finished the game solo. :p :p :p

If there is something that terribly wrong, I will try to place myself in a position where my partner can see me make some slight gesture letting him/her know that we should talk. Hopefully, a light will go on when the coach says, "didn't you see the ball come out of the glove".

I will not take away the call, but I'm going to support my partner and give him/her every opportunity to get it right.

In my pre-game at the plate, I always reminded the coaches to go to the umpire who made the call, and ask him/her to check with his/her partner.

Bob

Extra Innings
 

Well in Europe we Penalise the Whole Crew

(tongue firmly in cheek)
I would run up the line with my left arm out yelling that I have Obstruction...
(tongue out ofcheek)
:D :D :D :D

some of us do that over here in the US. I worked a tournament in the not-too-distant past where we had a fair number of teetotalers who not only wouldn't drink, but also wouldn't buy anything with alcohol. (Hmmm...wonder about the cough syrup...) Had a fair number of games going snowman. Had more than a fair amount of root beer and cream soda in the ice chests.

In DE, if you are working championship play and all of a sudden you see a group of umpires start to congregate behind the backstop with big grins on their face, you know you are in the 7th with the score tied.

Favorite extra inning story, sort of:

I'm on the plate working the winner's final of a Men's D Regional SP game a few years back. Score was tied with the home team at bat with two outs and a runner on 2 base. A big runner and I'm not talking tall.

Batter hits a shot to CF that F9 covers quickly. Big runner goes through stop sign at 3B and I'm already thinking about my need to hit the liquor store down the street. There is absolutely no way this runner could score. F9 unleashed a frozen rope of a throw to home. I'm in position for an obviously painful overhand out call. All of a sudden, the pitcher reaches out and cuts the throw! The catcher and I are both standing there with a "what the hell was that" look on our faces as the BIG runner waddled across home.

Slightly in shock, I met my partner and we headed to the umpire's area. I say, "Drew, we really dodged a bullit there, didn't we". He smiles at me and said it was no big deal.

"What do you mean, we damn near had to go to the eighth. Didn't you see those vultures behind the backstop?"

Drew said there was never a doubt in his mind and I asked him how he figured that. He says, "Easy, I just yelled 'CUT' "!!!:eek:

I had a mouthfull of my favorite beverage that now has to be cleaned from monitor, keyboard and wall!

Thanks for sharing that, Mike. THAT made my day! :D