Well.......it finally happened.....

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Me PU......Bases loaded.........2 outs........batter swings at a third strike in the dirt and immediately starts towards 1st.......

Catcher picks up ball and steps on home plate as she moves forward to throw to 1st........

YOU GUESSED IT.............she throws it into right field.........

I Bellow (like Mike Rowe.....and I am sure many of you here.......when I bellow........I BELLOW......."Out on the force.......that's 3"as soon as the catcher touches HP........

No one pays attention.......runners are running.......fielders are fielding.......coaches are coaching........parents are screaming.........

It was pretty fun watching.......But after I verbalize the out.....and showed 3 outs.........I let everything go on..........

My partner suspected what was going on, but was not sure.........and moved off the field........and when there was a play at third......everyone expected a call..........BUT.......he was not where he was supposed to be.........he and I were both on the 3rd base side of home......

Defense requests TIME......and wants an out at third.......the third base coach wants to know what the heck the call was.............

I attempted to calmly say..........the Runner from 3rd was out on a force..........NO RUNS SCORE.........

It took about 2-3 minutes to sort it out.........(I even had to explain it to my partner......but HE saw and heard my out call and figured being close to me was the safest place.........boy, was he wrong)....

The offense was convinced that I screwed them out of three runs (parents yelling, assistant coaches all wanting an explanations).......and the defense did not know what to think..........

I finally took the offensive manager almost to the outfield......and walked him through the play........(I believe he finally understood.........but I doubt any parent did or his assistants........I had to shoo them away.......lol)

Just another day in the life of a softball umpire.......

Joel





[Edited by Gulf Coast Blue on May 8th, 2002 at 11:11 PM]