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Well, it wasn't quite that bad...but it was ugly. The ugliest case of umpire bashing, for me, in what has been an otherwise trouble-free early season.
The kicker...they were ready to lynch the umpires because we enforced the RIGHT rule!
Close game and the visiting team has mounted a comeback to tie it up. Home team is batting in the bottom of the seventh. There is a runner on first base and no outs.
Batter hits a fly ball to right field. The runner is off on contact (bad move on an easily catchable ball). The catch is made and the runner is nearly to second base- a dead duck. The throw to first for the double play comes in as the runner is desperately scrambling back.
But...the throw sails over the first baseman's head and goes straight into the dugout. As the ball becomes dead, the runner retouches first base.
The umpires- correctly- award two bases from the time of the throw and place the runner- the winning run- on third base.
Visiting team coach doesn't like this! He thinks- incorrectly- that since the runner had to retouch first that the award should only be second base. A lengthy discussion with the plate umpire ensues. The coach's protests seem to ignite his fans, convincing them that the umpires "blew it". They start to get animated.
Not satisfied with the explanation he got, the coach decides to plead his case with the base umpire (me), further delaying the game and further inciting his fans. He gets the same explanation- two bases from the time of throw- puts up a mild argument, then finally heads for the dugout. The visiting fans are really riled up now, screaming that "the umpires are stealing the game".
The next batter singles, the runner on third strolls home and the game is over. The visiting fans are just about losing it!
My partner and I take one step off the field and two fans in lawn chairs immediately begin giving us a hard time. They're telling us that we don't know the rules and we robbed their team!
We get another few steps toward the parking lot and another guy intercepts us, telling us how we blew that call and he knows he's right because he plays slow pitch softball!
We finally get to our cars and are taking off our gear, when an elderly white-haired woman of about 70 storms over an just literally rips into us! We cheated the kids! That was the worst umpiring she's ever seen! We should be ashamed of ourselves and never allowed to set foot on a field again!
All I said was, "That's real mature, Lady"- as I tried not to laugh.
I guess the moral of the story- other than venting a little bit- is that no matter what call you make, at least 50% of the folks at the game are going to be ticked off. It just struck me as odd that the worst abuse from fans I've gotten this year was the result of a 100% correct call!
The kicker...they were ready to lynch the umpires because we enforced the RIGHT rule!
Close game and the visiting team has mounted a comeback to tie it up. Home team is batting in the bottom of the seventh. There is a runner on first base and no outs.
Batter hits a fly ball to right field. The runner is off on contact (bad move on an easily catchable ball). The catch is made and the runner is nearly to second base- a dead duck. The throw to first for the double play comes in as the runner is desperately scrambling back.
But...the throw sails over the first baseman's head and goes straight into the dugout. As the ball becomes dead, the runner retouches first base.
The umpires- correctly- award two bases from the time of the throw and place the runner- the winning run- on third base.
Visiting team coach doesn't like this! He thinks- incorrectly- that since the runner had to retouch first that the award should only be second base. A lengthy discussion with the plate umpire ensues. The coach's protests seem to ignite his fans, convincing them that the umpires "blew it". They start to get animated.
Not satisfied with the explanation he got, the coach decides to plead his case with the base umpire (me), further delaying the game and further inciting his fans. He gets the same explanation- two bases from the time of throw- puts up a mild argument, then finally heads for the dugout. The visiting fans are really riled up now, screaming that "the umpires are stealing the game".
The next batter singles, the runner on third strolls home and the game is over. The visiting fans are just about losing it!
My partner and I take one step off the field and two fans in lawn chairs immediately begin giving us a hard time. They're telling us that we don't know the rules and we robbed their team!
We get another few steps toward the parking lot and another guy intercepts us, telling us how we blew that call and he knows he's right because he plays slow pitch softball!
We finally get to our cars and are taking off our gear, when an elderly white-haired woman of about 70 storms over an just literally rips into us! We cheated the kids! That was the worst umpiring she's ever seen! We should be ashamed of ourselves and never allowed to set foot on a field again!
All I said was, "That's real mature, Lady"- as I tried not to laugh.
I guess the moral of the story- other than venting a little bit- is that no matter what call you make, at least 50% of the folks at the game are going to be ticked off. It just struck me as odd that the worst abuse from fans I've gotten this year was the result of a 100% correct call!
