Why folks who don't umpire shouldn't write rules.
 

A tournament rule as written and published follows. Is the mercy rule in effect in the championship game?
11. Game time limits are as follows:
All games are 55 minutes, i.e. no inning will be started after 55 minutes have elapsed. (except as noted below).
a. After 7 innings, the ASA tie-breaker system will be employed.
b. A “10 Run Rule” is in effect after 5 innings.
c. Last game in the Losers Bracket and the Winners Bracket are 7 innings with ASA tie-breaker if tied after 7 innings.
d. Championship Game(s) will be 7 innings with ASA tie-breaker if tied after 7 innings .

I've seen worse errors in the rule book itself. :D

Just a slight oversight, if anything.

Agree and oversight ......... but, what if it becomes and issue when one team is ahead by 10 after 5? Enforce it or not? It's the championship game!

Simple... state it clearly at the plate meeting. Get both coaches nodding that they understand.

Did that! Still became an issue. Now what?

"Coach, you agreed to the run rule. This game is over."
Then walk away.

Or, alternatively (depending on what the TD actually meant with the rule),

"Coach, you agreed this was a 7 inning game with no run rules. Take the field (or batter up, depending)."

And the answer is .............

Umpires at pregame actually read the rule with the managers. Determined that mercy rule was in effect. Of course when it became an issue at the end of 5th the losing team cried behind our backs to TD. TD, not knowing pregame meeting yelled from scorebooth game was to go 7 innings. Now winning team is really sqawking. They feel they won championship. I stand my ground with them and say to losing team we went over this rule at pregame. Doesn't want to listen. Everyone is yelling now....everyone. Both teams fans, TD, everyone. I'm packing my stuff and walking off field. Now my partner says, he'll work remainder of game if TD wants him to. So now I'm left standing there with my pants around my ankles and the winning team is begging me to uphold the agreement at pregame.

I walked off saying ....... We had an agreement, I'm through. Needless to say, I'm gonna hear some grief but principles is principles in my book. Honor the agreement! I've still got my integrity but my partner and the losing team and TD have none. TD was told of agreement and still wanted 7 innings. Bull ShortS!!!

Lesson learned by me from past vague tournament rules: discuss with UIC (at a minimum; if the TD is there also, all the better) before the tournament to clarify the rules. This requires them (UIC, TD) to make a decision before they are in the heat of the moment.

PS: Once the TD issued his ruling, it was not an integrity issue for the umpires (IMO). The TD is allowed to "interpret" the tournament rules. I'd've probably just pointed the "winning" coach and his fans to the real culprit and let him deal with the ruckus. If the ruckus was bad enough, suspend the game until the TD gets everyone calmed down.

Sounds like you were working in Davis...:D

No, not Davis. It was the thriving metro of "Auburn".

Auburn? I don't see anything on Gary Ybarra's site about Auburn. Not an ASA tourney?

BTW, I did umpire up in Lincoln back in April. Fosket Park. Great site, unless you like shade.

I was under the impression it was ASA (Insurance and all that) from the folks putting on the tourney. The assigning group was not.

Foskett is going to be a nice complex once they finish it. Score boards, stands and learn how to take care of infields and grass. A great bunch of folks to work with.

PLEASE NOTE: I am just passing on information, not making any claims, threats or trying to mislead anyone as to their personal situation.

I would be very careful with this. When a claim is made to Bollinger, it must be signed by the Commissioner. A good commissioner is going to contact the State/Metro UIC to get confirmation of the injury/claim. If the assignment was done outside the local ASA organization and those folks are not aware of it, there "could" be an issue of coverage.

I can tell you that we are so small, getting this information around here is quite easy when necessary. However, I make it quite clear who can assign umpires to an ASA event. If they get a call from someone else, it is not an ASA event and as an umpire, they are on their own.

A few years ago we had an issue in this area where a local youth organization contracted the local ASA umpire assn to provide umpires for what was said to be an ASA tournament. The assignor did not check with anyone to verify ASA sanctioning and assigned the tournament. Not until the scores appeared in the Sunday sports section of the local paper did anyone realize the tournament was qualifier for another sanctioning organization.

As much as no one in softball wants to see any umpire get jammed up, you cannot expect the state/metro officials to fudge/misrepresent/lie on insurance claim forms. This is part of the business end of umpiring and something an umpire must understand no matter for whom they are working.

If you call for multiple sanctions, make sure you are not relying on any one sanction for your insurance.

NASO provides insurance that crosses sanctioning boundaries. I don't know if they use Bollinger or not. I'm not a NASO member.

NFHS insurance (also Bollinger) covers you for all non-professional sports that are a high school sport in your state (assuming your state is an NFHS state).

Thanks for the extra poop on ASA, sanctioning and insurance. Appreciate it. Now I know.

Out of curosity, if someone gets hurt at a game (not a bat issue) what liability would an umpire have?

As an umpire, my coverage is for me isn't it? I twist a knee and have to HMO of my own and need medical help is what mine would cover, right? (within dollar limits of coverage). What does the insurance cover for the assignor?

It also includes liability insurance. Since I have medical from work, it is the liability insurance that is most important to me.

Only as much as some ambulance-chasing hack can dream up and sell to a judge and jury :D