Why MTD, Jr., and I do NOT umpire slow pitch softball!

[jmkupka]

Men's modified fastpitch...

Wednesday night, liner caught by F6, tried to double R1 off 1st, airmailed the ball out of play. Entire defense goes berzerk when I award R1 third base. Not 1 player stayed quiet in their ignorance of the rule.

I pride myself in my ability to keep cool in the face of abuse; it's much more satisfying to eject someone that way. However, in this deluge of uninformed hysteria, I let my exasperation get the better of me, and made the general announcement "guys, this is Softball 101" (referring to the out-of-play rule, not the level of talent on the field, which was so-so)

I admit it was an inappropriate remark, and regretted it as soon as I said it, as it ignited a new rash of abuse, accompanied by the resultant ejections (the first ejections in 3 years of umpiring this league)