Yesterday was not fun...

AlabamaBlue · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 01:47pm

Started out with a 9-10 year old game behind the plate. After the 2nd inning, my partner, who has called for 8 years and is pretty well respected, informs me that he's not having fun so he's going home.

Oooook. Thought he was joking at first, but he really did get in his car and drive away. After some investigating, it turns out he had told the 1st basewoman to tuck her shirt in several times and she kept untucking it. Then he talks to the coach, and I saw the coach pull the girl aside and make her tuck her shirt in. Then after that half of the inning, he quit. *shrug*

So I'm a little unnerved and my strike zone shows it. I'm getting a whole lotta crap from the other teams coaches, not the team with the shirt untucker. After about an inning and a half of that, the 3rd base coach goes a little too far and keeps jawing after the rest of the coaches settle down after an armpit-high strike. So I send him home. After that, the game went shmoooooove. I was much more focused, the strike zone got back to where it should have been, and everybody was afraid to open their mouth

After that game, I had an 11-12 that went fine. Then it's time to travel to a park that we just picked up this year. Another umpire and myself are car-pooling it, and we give ourselves an hour to get to where we think should only take us about 30-45 mins. Wellll, it took us just about an hour and 15 mins. The landmark we were told to look for was some little restaurant that was made to sound like you couldn't miss it when in fact the only sign it had was one of those little arrow-shaped deals.

To make it even worse, the ump that quit on me earlier was supposed to be on the other field, so we were a man short for those games too.

Haven't had that much fun in a loooong time.

Skahtboi · #2 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 01:53pm

Well...there goes your first partner's "respect!"

Scott

IRISHMAFIA · #3 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 02:03pm

Quote:

Originally posted by AlabamaBlue
Started out with a 9-10 year old game behind the plate. After the 2nd inning, my partner, who has called for 8 years and is pretty well respected, informs me that he's not having fun so he's going home.

Oooook. Thought he was joking at first, but he really did get in his car and drive away. After some investigating, it turns out he had told the 1st basewoman to tuck her shirt in several times and she kept untucking it. Then he talks to the coach, and I saw the coach pull the girl aside and make her tuck her shirt in. Then after that half of the inning, he quit. *shrug*

So I'm a little unnerved and my strike zone shows it. I'm getting a whole lotta crap from the other teams coaches, not the team with the shirt untucker. After about an inning and a half of that, the 3rd base coach goes a little too far and keeps jawing after the rest of the coaches settle down after an armpit-high strike. So I send him home.

Anyone, manager, coach, parent or just a spectator who acts like that at a 10U game would not be allowed anywhere near my child. Of course, I'm not a big fan of wasting umpiring resources on that level of league play. This is an instructional period of time and "winning" should not be the priority projected by those teaching the children.

JMHO,

CecilOne · #4 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 02:07pm

Are you serious or just practicing fiction writing?
How about "Well...there goes your first partner's career"? I guess 8 years is long enough to call a career.

Years ago, I had a game at a field behind a restaurant which was used as a landmark by the locals, but the new owners had changed the name.

AlabamaBlue · #5 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 02:50pm

Dead serious.

But yeah, I don't think he'll be working anymore ball. He had told me before the game that he wasn't looking forward to the season like he usualy does, and that he'd rather be at home working in his garden.

Still didn't see it coming.

bluezebra · #6 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 06:13pm

Quote:

Originally posted by AlabamaBlue
Dead serious.

But yeah, I don't think he'll be working anymore ball. He had told me before the game that he wasn't looking forward to the season like he usualy does, and that he'd rather be at home working in his garden.

Still didn't see it coming.

He should have had the decency to inform the assignor that he wasn't returning this season. His quitting in the middle of a game was more childish than the players' actions.

Bob

Gulf Coast Blue · #7 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 07:56pm

Gee fella...........are you really leaving.........??

Adios............

Joel

SWFLguy · #8 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 06, 2003, 08:57pm

To be honest with you---
the shirt tucking is well-----
as we used to say in the Army:
chicken s**t !
for example--- when a batter is up to bat
a shirt "tucked in" can be "bloused" in such a way
as to actually make it more likely to be hit by
a pitch--- if that indeed is a reason for this
"rule" ????
If it has nothing to do with the game or
safety-- why does it exist ???
can someone explain ??
oh---
I get it--
we want everyone to "look good" ???
like we don't have enough to do out there !!
reaction ???

AlabamaBlue · #9 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 07, 2003, 10:45am

You're preaching to the choir.

Dakota · #10 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 07, 2003, 12:13pm

The only time I've ever told a player in the field to tuck in her shirt was in response to an a--hole coach who kept ragging on my partner (who had the plate) about the opposing batters' shirts - mostly to rattle the players, IMO, since their shirts were "bloused" not out.

I finally had enough and stopped the game until every player everywhere tucked in their shirt neatly - no blousing. Everyone knew I was overreacting (kind of an FYC) and had had enough of the griping. Never heard another word about shirts the rest of the game.