There's no crying in softball

[jmaellis]

Well, actually there is.

So, as a new umpire I'm still experiencing all my "firsts." Last week it was the "first" obstruction call (not that it was the first time it happened, just the first time that I recognized it while it was happening .. not after). This week it was the first "interference" call.

Also this week was my first experience with crying little girls; not hurt little girls ..... scared little girls. One of the 8U teams had a pitcher who is light years ahead of the other girls her age. She comes from a softball family and has older sisters, so she has been around softball all her life. She is consistently in the strike zone, and throws VERY hard ... for her age.

The opposing team is from a nearby city where the coaches still pitch, and even when they have played other neighboring cities, they have never encountered anything like this pitcher.

So, about half of of the batters enter the batters box already crying. They're afraid that that they will be hit by the fast ball (they didn't .... I did). About the best they can do is hold the bat straight out over the plate and hope for the best. Kinda heartbreaking to see. The home team took her out after the second inning .. things got better.

The game before mine my daughter had a pitcher start crying because she walked home the winning runs.

Lots of tears today.

Firsts.