When darkness arrives...

[MD Longhorn]

I can't remember the last time I worked a field that had no lights... but if it came up, I LOVE Mark's solution.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I can't remember the last time I worked a field that had no lights... but if it came up, I LOVE Mark's solution.

Most of the HS and Jr College fields here do not have lights....double headers that start at 2:00pm early in the season, ie February can really push the envelope. Once it gets into March and April, it's not as much of an issue.

But I do like Mark's method....

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I can't remember the last time I worked a field that had no lights... but if it came up, I LOVE Mark's solution.

Not me. Paints you into a corner, even though the announcement isn't absolute. It is different for every field. Some have trees or buildings to the SW, some are wide open.

And I can tell you from more than 40 years of experience umpiring and my real job, people hear and remember numbers better than any attached quantifier. You can soften it however you want, you are occasionally get an argument from someone who needs an extra inning to win.

[x-tremeump]

I agree, you can not say anything at the beginning of a game to any coach about a time limit. If my partner & I agree that its over because of darkness, "Its Over". Judgment 100% 1st Safety 2nd Sportsmanship. There are 3 team's on the field, Home-Visitor, & Blue.

[EsqUmp]

Once I feel that a player's reaction time will be affected, the game is going to end very quickly. The last thing we need is a line shot back at the pitcher that she can't even get a glove on.

If I'm the base umpire and I have to strain at all to see the ball, it's time to shake hands.

One team may not be happy, but I can at least go to bed knowing I did what was right, even if it wasn't popular.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Not me. Paints you into a corner, even though the announcement isn't absolute. It is different for every field. Some have trees or buildings to the SW, some are wide open.

And I can tell you from more than 40 years of experience umpiring and my real job, people hear and remember numbers better than any attached quantifier. You can soften it however you want, you are occasionally get an argument from someone who needs an extra inning to win.

Irish:

I don't believe it paints me into a corner. I have never had a complaint later in the game when I have said that it is too dark to play once sunset had arrived.

There is a reason that all of the states have the requirement that I alluded to in my original post, and that is that studies have shown that vehicles are difficult to see as sunset approaches. It really does not matter if the diamond is or is not surrounded by trees and buildings. If one is required to have the lights on his car on so that others can see his vehicle then that is a pretty good indicator that it is too dark to see other much smaller objects.

MTD, Sr.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Irish:

I don't believe it paints me into a corner. I have never had a complaint later in the game when I have said that it is too dark to play once sunset had arrived.

I have seen umpires offer "soft warnings" about darkness using times and have seen teams rebel if the game ended before that time or ran past that time. It didn't make any difference how soft or vague it was, all they heard was the time.

I have had to rule on protested games more than once based upon what the umpire said before the game.

You may have a good situation, but I can guarantee it is not universal

There is a reason that all of the states have the requirement that I alluded to in my original post, and that is that studies have shown that vehicles are difficult to see as sunset approaches. It really does not matter if the diamond is or is not surrounded by trees and buildings. If one is required to have the lights on his car on so that others can see his vehicle then that is a pretty good indicator that it is too dark to see other much smaller objects.

MTD, Sr.

I understand what you are saying and that you are hedging to the early side.

However, as a general statement, EVERYTHING affects the visibility on a ball field and you cannot put a time to it.