Fun at this weekend's tourney
 

1) Catcher interferes, ball goes foul toward the dugout and is caught. Batter awarded first, defensive coach goes ballistic saying it's his choice whether to take the out or give the base.
2) Pitcher takes more than 20 seconds (and I was counting slow), so I give my first ever IP for delay. Coach tells me that we never said, "Play Ball" Good grief. Pitcher gets another one the next inning after coach told her not to pitch loud enough that I could hear it.

Worse, I learn later than coach is (and really is, not just says he is) an umpire.

3) New game, different teams: R1 on 3rd, R2 on 1st - R2 stealing slowly on the pitch, R1 leading off about 10 feet. Ball back to pitcher, no play, R2 still stealing, R1 still standing. LBR, she's out. Coach: "But blue, she's just doing what we taught her to do - that's our play, it was on purpose." Me: "I guess that out's on you then."

And at LEAST 20 obstructions in the first 4 games alone, only 2 of which awarded a base. THIS IS TOURNEY BALL folks - how do you not know not to stand on the freaking base without the ball by now?!?!?! Someone must have gotten the message though (or perhaps the clueless teams were simply filtered out by then...) last 2 games not a single OBS.

Other than that, generally good play, entertaining games, most of them close.

My last one went Prog ITB 2-2. Visitors walk to load bases, Liner drilled to first, F3 catches and gets the DP at first. K. 0 runs. Home bunts to load bases (catcher held it), Liner drilled to first, F3 catches and gets the DP at first. IBB, then a passed ball, a fast runner and an extremely close play at the plate scores the winning run.

Favorite part of the day: Seeing the look on the girls face when that girl scored the winning run... that and the excellent watermelon! :)

Not sure what Prog ITB is, but no part of any "I"nternational rule starts with runners anywhere bur 2nd base. If I am understanding you, there were two runners on.

That may be a Prog TB rule, but adding the "I" means it is jumbo shrimp.

? ? ;)

F5 was going to make a play but the catcher pushed him out of the way. F1 makes the catch anyway. I think that the defense does get the choice of penalties on this play, no? ;-)
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Club Royal Condos Pattaya

I understand your point... but despite the fact that perhaps it's inaccurately named, it's called Progressive ITB. I did not name it. Google it - you'll get several hits, mostly tourney rules calling the tiebreaker for the tourney "Progressive ITB". Interestingly, if you google "Progressive TB" or "Progressive Tiebreaker", you get no hits.

I referrerd to is as progressive ITB because that's what people call it.

I'm not getting many useful hits on "progressive ITB" or "progressive tie breaker". Adding "softball" to either finally produced one site with a definition.

Okay, Now I'm really confused!

F5 making a play, F2 pushes F5 but F1 catches the ball?

I think the defense ought to hide in shame on that one!

To start, there is no such thing as an International Tie Breaker, right SRW? :cool:

Second, some idiot came up with this and people thought they were smart, when in fact, it is counterproductive and is more likely to prolong a game than accelerate its conclusion. :eek:

Third, what is progressive about anything that does not progress?:confused:

JEL, I think youngump was being clever, trying to come up with a scenario in which the catcher could interfere... with the defense.

Yeah that's what I figured, but with some stuff that has come up locally you never know!:p

Well Irish, in ISF there is a tie-breaker rule Rule 5, Sec.6. I can imagine that will be called the International Tie-Breaker Rule.

In the years I'm calling with this rule, I once had a game still tied after 9 innings. So I had alway (with 1 exception) a winner after 9 inn. You can call that counterproductive, I just think however that the tie was broken.;)

On the 3th part I can't help you out. Though I don't agree with your opinion about the tie breaker, you are right that nothing can be called progressive if there ain't any progress.:)

Overhere we've added something to the rule 5.6, only for our competition, so not for play off's nor championship game's: If a game is after 9 inn.'s still tied, we shall have a tie. We don't go into the 10th inn. I've had that once happened.

Sander,

The point is the ISF refers to it only as the "Tie Breaker". Those who have adopted it refer to it as the International Tie Breaker because it comes from the rules of the international name. However, most organizations have incorporated a tie breaker into their own set of rules, so now you have a tie breaker for ASA, NFHS, etc.

We need to call it the EIR rule. :)

rather than start a new thread...
 

Johnny Carson would have loved the tourney I worked over the weekend: Lot's of wild and wacky stuff. In the eight games I worked we had...

OBS on F6 (second AB of my first game) I had to explain the rule to DC.

R2 on 2B rounds 3B trying to score. She sees R1 retreating to 3B. R2 cuts accross infield retreating to 2B. Grumbles from defense dugout, but theres no appeal made.

BOO.

Unreported substitute.

Intentional LBR out so that visitors could take advatage of the tourney's "Drop Dead" rule, and the home team's use of leagal stalling tactics to counter-act the visitors.

20 second IP call along with the typical "You're the only umpire thats called that on us all year".

Two umpire injuries.

(and finally) A fantastic championship game where the home team scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th to win 6-4.

All-Star Delight
 

I was honored with umpiring 4 pool play games 14U All-Stars by myself on Saturday. :rolleyes: 3 of the 4 games were standard games, but the 3rd was a blast. The 3rd was one of those games with at least 8 close plays. I am sure of all my calls, but I am also sure if I had a partner s/he MAY have gone the other way do to angles. Several times during the game I had multiple runners on base and when the ball was hit I had a lot to look like. From the stands I must of looked like a BOBBLE HEAD :D. The close calls were pretty even, but that didn't stop the banter from the fans. Inside I was cracking up (outside kept a professional face) with what I was hearing. After the game was even more funny with "Drive Bye", your the worst... and an equal amount of good jobs.

But the bottom line is it was a fun game with high emotions on both side with no one really getting out of line.:)