Coach_tom, I was at the USSSA 10U tournament in knoxville as well. I generally agree with you that the tournament was run well, but I do have one major complaint.
On wed we were involved in bracket play in the late afternoon. We got to the top of the 7th inning and let me tell you there was lightning everywhere. Not just heat flashes, I am talking bolts to the ground lightning. All around the park and basically it was about 3 to 5 miles away at most.
Niether of the umpires acted as if they even cared that lightning was all around us. I asked what they were going to do and they would not even acknowledge me. Finally I walked out on the field and called my players in. I told the home plate umpire that if he was not going to call it, then he was going to have to forfiet us.
After a few more minutes (and 5 or 10 more bolts of lightning) they finally decided to halt the games. Get this...they said for 10 minutes or so. In fact when I finally got to speak to the person who ran the facility you will not believe how he answered my question.
I asked what the local rule was for when lighnting was seen. I explained that in Ohio we use a lightning meter and if there is activity within 24 miles we stop play for 30 minutes. I also explained that lightning can strike someone from as much as 25 miles away. He told me quote "that has never happened around here, we have a great track record"
I plan on contacting the national office of USSSA and letting them know about what happened at this particular site.
As for the umpiring, having done my share of work behind the plate I am normally not one to complain, but in our last game there was a game changing call that was one for the books. With the bases loaded and 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th and we were playing defense. A ball was hit well down the 3rd base line and it was foul by 18 inches. In fact it almost hit the 3rd base coach. This ball was called fair and it cleared the bases tieing the game. The 3rd base coach even came to me the next innings and said that it was clearly foul. The team that was taking the filed next was sitting down the left field line and they said it was not even close to being a fair ball. Now I will be the first to admit, mistakes and be made, and I have made a number of them myself while umpiring. But in the situation we were in, and the lack of difficulty in that call, it is not unreasonable to expect more.
