State and/or National Tournaments

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

What "book" would that be?

The Umpire Code of Ethics, for one (page 218, this year).

Here's a more "real world" way of doing that. This is the perspective of a local association scheduler/assignor, who also deals with the hierarchy (and wants all his local umpires to progress).

If you have scheduled local assignments first, I expect you to call me, and tell me that you have been offered tournament games. You don't TELL me you are cancleing, you ask me if I can cover you. If I can, I will; and I owe both you and the tournament UIC to make every reasonable effort to do that. If I absolutely cannot, I need to tell you as soon as possible, to allow the tournament UIC enough time to look elsewhere.

If you simply tell the UIC you cannot, he can fairly assume you turned him down, not me jerking your chain (he knows I will try). If you tell me you are canceling no matter what, then I can safely assume I cannot count on you honoring your commitments in the future.