OK - I will concede that point.

The main problem is he is wanting out. He has been doing it a very long time and admittedly this is his final year and it shows big time. He is close to 80 years old if not over already and while I have known some really good older umpires that still love the game as much as they did when they first started and I have learned much from them over the years; I have also seen some that have lost that feeling and went longer than they should have. He is in that latter group.

Then, as an act of kindness to both him and the teams, your assignor needs to honor his wishes, and stop assigning him.

He is a long time veteran and unless he specifically asks not to be assigned anymore this year then he will have games. Also I believe that in those instances we were shorthanded so the assignor asked him if he would take them because we had no one else available then.

I don't believe what you did warranted even a consideration of a forfeit.

But I have a question. What if you were successful in extending the game and the other team made a comeback and are now within a run or two, but if you have the opportunity to run the clock out. However, if your team can wrap up this half inning in quick manner, the last three players in the line-up will get an opportunity to bat one more time. Do you play to get in the next inning or stall to win the game? :D


You know there is a belief in some circles that a fighter who doesn't knock out his opponent when the opportunity arises, doesn't deserve to win the fight.

Notice I never had the intent of extending the game another inning but I do see where you are coming from.

I just hope when I'm 80 my knees will still allow me to barrel down the baseline!

It can't be ASA - there is no "restrict to dugout" in ASA. This guy making that up too?

Correct - He did not want to eject because that involves time and effort afterwards so he just told him he was restricted to the dugout. The coach did not protest so nothing was done about this obvious misruling.

The only reason I know about it was my brother was his partner that night and we always talk about our games afterwards and he brought it up in our conversation.