Who knows what this is?

[IRISHMAFIA]

An indicator I will not use.

[NCASAUmp]

Okay, I'll tell you. I was going through some old boxes that still remained at my parents' house, and I came across this indicator. I knew right away what it was.

It was the very first indicator I ever used when I first started umpiring in 1993.

You see, my dad used to umpire in the league I played in as a kid. I later offered to volunteer as an umpire for the same league, and my dad had an extra one laying around - the very one in this picture. We called some games together, and I was terrible at it. But we still had a good time.

I used this indicator for about 3 or 4 years until I was able to snag his 4-wheel model when he retired from calling ball. I tucked this one away and completely forgot about it until this weekend. The wheels are tough to move, but they still click. Some numbers are almost completely erased, but I can still read them.

I still have that 4-wheel indicator, and now, I've put both of them in my daily gear bag to remind myself of where I come from, and how far I've come as an umpire.

This story may not mean much to you guys, but I think it's good to remind ourselves now and then of how we started, especially after a tough game or three.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

An indicator I will not use.

Why not?

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Why not?

Because it's mine, all mine!

[derwil]

Good story...thanks for sharing.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Why not?

At least for me, the numbers aren't big enough .....

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Why not?

because the plastic will make it slip from my hands.

I have been using a stainless steel indicator since 1966. No reason to change now.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

because the plastic will make it slip from my hands.

I have been using a stainless steel indicator since 1966. No reason to change now.

Weird... I've never used a stainless steel indicator. Been wanting one just to try it out, but never got around to it. I've only used plastic, and the only times it ever slips from my hand is if I get lazy with my grip.

[shipwreck]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Weird... I've never used a stainless steel indicator. Been wanting one just to try it out, but never got around to it. I've only used plastic, and the only times it ever slips from my hand is if I get lazy with my grip.

All I ever use also, is a stainless steel indicator. I've used the same one for going on 12 years.

Dave

[Rich]

I could not possibly use an indicator with the strikes on top. Nor would I use one of those four-wheeled scoreboards.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I could not possibly use an indicator with the strikes on top. Nor would I use one of those four-wheeled scoreboards.

So what do you use instead, Rich?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I could not possibly use an indicator with the strikes on top. Nor would I use one of those four-wheeled scoreboards.

Strikes always on top. After all, a strike call always gets a thumbs up from me.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I could not possibly use an indicator with the strikes on top. Nor would I use one of those four-wheeled scoreboards.

Years back, the +POS indicator fixed several issues. It required some mental reprogramming, but 1) the wheels were in the order you would give the count, balls first, strikes second, outs on bottom, 2) The whole thing is palm sized, much bigger, so bigger numbers for those past 40 and now reading impaired, and 3) eliminated unneeded numbers that never were part of an active count, strike 3 and ball 4 (when either is reached, isn't the new count 0-0??).

There have been knockoffs since that I also prefer, for all the same reasons above. It takes a game or so to reprogram the autopilot, then (IMO) much better than the older style.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Originally Posted by shipwreck

All I ever use also, is a stainless steel indicator. I've used the same one for going on 12 years.

Dave

Holy smoke! I go through two stainless steel ones a year!

Once the numbers cease locking into place, its sayonara.....

Actually, I usually have THREE in rotation. The oldest one which is my 'bad weather' one, one that is still serviceable and clicks for the bases, and a new one for the plate. Obsessive? Yes!

And I have never used a four wheeler - I ALWAYS know what inning it is! Okay, except the time in a modified FP game that was going so quick, we missed that the home team had got their 10 runs ahead in bottom 4, and we were in B5, when we realized it - game still only took 45 minutes

STILL looking for the four wheeler with Strikes/Balls/Outs/Hot Moms on it though

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by ASA/NYSSOBLUE

Holy smoke! I go through two stainless steel ones a year!

Once the numbers cease locking into place, its sayonara.....

I only purchase indicators that I can take apart. I had a stainless that I took apart once for cleaning. Not sure what that one is, but I'm using a blue see through now as see here

I have been using that for 6 years now with zero problems. And I live dangerously, I "might" have a second indicator in my bag.

As an side, I own the "heavyweight" indicator on that page (upper left), but I have never used it. We pass it around, referring to it as the "lethal weapon", which I think would have come into use for the recent thread about handling slow pitch players