Ending game's due to darkness

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Whenever MTD, Jr., and/or I get a baseball or softball assignment, we go to the U.S. Naval Observatory website and plug in the date, state, and city where the game is to be played and get the time of sunset.

When we have our pregame conference with the coaches we inform them when sunset is and that once it gets within 30 minutes of sunset that we will make the decision as to whether to end/suspend the game or not. But under no circumstances will we allow the game to continue after sunset on an unlighted diamond.

MTD, Sr.

That sounds like a good routine and if it works for you, great. However, I do not care to set such a parameter in place prior to the game. Too many variables from the surrounding environment to the manner in which the field is laid out to sky coverage that can affect the available light.

I also encourage the BU to offer all the input possible as seeing the ball coming from the plate area is just as if not more important than seeing the ball coming to the plate. If I'm working alone, I may take a minute to go into the outfield to see what the OF can, or cannot, see.

But no matter what you do, don't try and be the nice guy a force the game to get done or legal, it may come back to bite you in the ass.