GREED - Umpires Walked Off

[Iverylm]

On Sunday, June 8th,2003, at Stone Road Park, Covington, Georgia two softball officials from Tennessee (ChooChoo), walked off the field after four games because the UIC or his assistant was not at the field to pay both for the nine games, they would have completed.

The UIC, was called, and he immediately, got on the road and made the one hour drive to Stone Road. Prior to leaving home, he immediately got one member of a 3-man crew over to Stone Road, from Turner Lake, to get the games going and miminize further delay.

In my 19 years of umpiring, this is the first time I have heard of weekend umpires walking off the field because of money.

The trend I have noticed over the past few years, is its all about the MONEY. Especially in high school sports and tounaments. What percentage are involve??

Your input to this matter will be appreciated.


IVERYLM

[CecilOne]

Definitely not normal, not acceptable if that is the whole story. Most of us are happy if we get paid in a week or two, sometomes a month or two. The "for the money" attitude has two variations. One just gets through games as quickly as possible and ignores good umpiring because we are shorthanded. The other is the high-fee-only folks, who disdain anything less than HS Varsity fees or will do league games but not state championships if they pay less.

[Skahtboi]

I know that around here there are those that won't work a tournament unless they can get a guarantees of say, 10 games, or something. However, they are not the norm. I have never heard of anybody walking off because there was no one there to pay them. I am sensing that this is not the whole story we are hearing. After all, I have never worked a tournament where I get paid before I complete my assignments. Have any of you? Also, I have never heard of a tournament in progress where either the UIC, Deputy UIC, or TD were not present. Something smells a little fishy here.

[greymule]

The only excuse I can imagine would be that these guys were stiffed before, and that there's a history we don't know about.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by greymule
The only excuse I can imagine would be that these guys were stiffed before, and that there's a history we don't know about.

My thoughts exactly. While I may not agree with what happened (and don't know if that would actually be the case), we really don't know what has transpired in the past. Nor do we know what the arrangement was for them to work.

Maybe there was a guarantee made to them that was not fulfilled in a timely fashion? Or maybe they were just idiots who were more Green than Blue.

None of us actually know if it was the right or wrong thing to do in this particular instance.

[Iverylm]

Nothing FISHY about the report. Do not "READ" into my posting. The facts were presented as clearly as possible.

The two umpires in question had done several tournaments before...as non-association members, where the primary TD was present. They were paid upon completion of the their games (tourney). The deputy TD was there Sunday, but did not have authority to write the checks. In fact no umpires got paid upon completion of their games....including yours truly. Payment takes about a week.

Normally, out of state umpires get paid after their games, but being Sunday, the 2 primary tournament officials (TD, UIC) were not on hand. Weather prevented the scheduled Saturday tournament, where both the TD and UIC would have been present.

By the way...I was told by the UIC this evening that he mailed each umpire a check for the games they completed.


IVERYLM

[SC Ump]

As an umpire, I have not taken on a mission to feed the poor or heal the sick. I deal with drunk obnoxious adult games and I deal with overbearing obnoxious parents and undertrained obnoxious coaches who think they know every rule in the book.

There is a shortage of good umpires available and if "working" was my only priority, I could work every night. My time is too valuable and I have other interest in my life so I pick and choose where and when I want to go some where.

For me, money is not the motivating factor. Tonight I will be driving 120 miles round trip to call a double header between two very good teams. I will be paid $50, no travel. That is because the way I pick and chose my games is by wanting to watch the best games. If I don't want to be assigned to a particular game, then I turn down the assignment.

Whether it is higher dollars, good games or avoiding obnoxious parents, I have no problem with umpires that pick and choose their games. Again, I don't think any umpires pledged to do missionary work.

But, that is just a side issue that was raised above.

My opinion on the original issue is that it is simply a matter of payment on a contract. If a roofer was working on my house, I would expect that if for some reason that roofer felt reasonably sure that he would not get paid that he would walk off the job site with the job unfinished. I would suspect that these umpires had similar feelings. As stated above, "Normally, out of state umpires get paid after their games, but...". I can see where I might have had valid concerns of non-payment, but I think there are too many unknown variables to say what I would have done.

We are expecting these umpires to honor their agreement of being there for all the games when the TD and assistant are not honoring their agreement of being there with the pay?

[Dakota]

OK - umpires are (generally speaking) independent contractors. They have made a contract with some person or organization to perform a service. Both parties are obligated to fulfill their end. If one party does not fulfill their end, they are in breach of the contract and the other party is no longer obligated by the contract.

So much for the legality of the situation.

The issue with umpires is many times not that simple. While the contract is between the individual umpire and the TD (for example), the real customers are the players, teams, coaches, and parents. The fact that they are the customers of the Tournament and not the umpire is lost on the customers.

If I have been in the position of these umpires, unless I had a history with this particular organization of being stiffed, or of being painfully late in payment, I probably would have stuck it out and assume I would be treated fairly in the end.

If I wasn't treated fairly, then I would no longer accept assignment to the organization until changes were made.

[JEL]

Not knowing full particulars, it would be hard to say these two acted irresponsibly. I'm not sure which association this was, but all I have dealt with have been fair, and honest. I would not leave teams stranded unless I had been mistreated by the orginization before. If I had been stiffed before, trying again is kind of my own risk. We all say we are not in it for the pay ONLY, but it is an incentive. Maybe these guys had previous issues, I don't know. As most would probably agree, I wouldn't have left. BTW, (except for tournament ball) I have yet to be paid this entire year! (haven't turned in pay sheet, one big check instead of several small ones makes me feel like a pro!)

[kono]

One possibility that has not been brought up yet is that of relief. 4 games and another 5 to go in the hot Georgia sun?? No breaks??

Is it possible that these guys were promised some relief and didn't get it??? It's not unusual to have a 2 on/1 off schedule. I might have walked too.

-Kono

[whiskers_ump]

Was this a National tournament?

Here is East Texas all our tournaments are pay at the plate
except for Nationals. Even State tournaments for AFA are
pay as you go. All qualififers and just fun tournaments are
always paid as you play.

glen