Woo hoo. Go Simpsonville.

No mention of the HUGE snafu earlier in the game? Shot down the 3BL, U3 signals foul, PU signals fair and play continues. Replays show that the ball was foul by a foot.

How the manager from NJ didn't get ejected on this play is beyond me. He should have protested the game. The LL interp is once foul always foul.

Must have happened when I left to get a cup of coffee. :D

But it wasn't. It was ruled "fair" by the umpire whose call it is.

I'm not saying it was right, but it certainly isn't protestable.

I was sitting down the LF line with some other umpires. I said to my umpire friend who had stepped away that the ball bounced to the foul side. The problem was that the umpire called it fair. And four umpires and a 20-second conference for that pulled foot in the sixth? Ughhh....

What embarrassed me the most as an umpire who works mostly LL in the summer was the dancing, complete with wigs. You will not catch me dead doing anything like that. Just because we volunteer doesn't mean we can't act professional.

As for the field, it is part of Alpenrose Dairy, which has a long history of community involvement. The hosting district has played baseball and softball there for many decades and it is a natural site for a LL World Series.

The field looks nice, just not a softball field. And with all of the room it looks like they have, why have the sideline fences in the outfiled so close to the foul line?

Anyway, at this level the umpiring should be much better. Besides those already mentioned, how about blown call at 3B. It was obvious the runner beat the throw. Also, strike zone was VERY inconsistant, outside or low was anyone's guess as to strike or ball call.

Both coaches showed class and kept their cool.

NJ coach needs to learn this isn't baseball.

The call at 1B involving the safety base was a good call. If I remember though, the umpire made it look questionable with his hesitation on the safe signal. The coach's argument with the BU was absurd. It seemed the umpire explained his call, but coach wouldn't stop talking so the BU just shut down. I have no problem with that. An explanation is all the coach is due. Then the coach whined to the PU that the BU wouldn't answer his question.

When walking away with the PU, the coach kept repeating that the ball beat the runner. Yeah, so?

It may be part of the umpire requirements to do what is asked of you.
I won't be dancing like that either, cuz I will never be there in uniform.

LL (both baseball and softball) has apparently asked their WS umpires to be corny showmen for the past several years. I think it demeans both the game and the umpires, but they apparently disagree.

You are right. I know one that went, and he said that they wanted them to
be a part of "the show".
Another reason not to do LL.

From what I have heard from those in my district who have gone to other regionals/World Series (above the 11/12 level), these antics do not occur in the older divisions. Then again, there are no cameras to play to at these levels. I guess if you want to be on TV there's a trade-off.

This is a big reason I don't want to apply to the World Series in my hometown.

BS. They do an older division right here in Kirkland, WA and they demean themselves DAILY with these corny dances, even if NOT on TV.

You can chicken dance or umpire. For me, I choose to umpire. Besides, I probably can't do the chicken dance.

Damn. Sorry to hear that. I know about Kirkland, didn't know they did that.

My partners can dance. I will be tying my shoes, getting some water, polishing my indicator, cleaning the bases, anything to kill the time...