Umpire Resources
Umpire 2012 Training
Umpire Training will be on February 26th, 2012 from 8:00am to 2:00pm at Anderson
Through An Official's Eye
Donald Jensen was struck in the head by a thrown bat while umpiring a little
league game in Terre Haute, Indiana. He continued to work the game, but
later that evening was placed in the hospital by a doctor. While being kept
overnight for observation, Jensen wrote the following letter:
Dear Parent of a Little Leaguer:
I'm an umpire. I don't do it for a living, but only on Saturdays and Sundays
for fun. I've played the game, coached it and watched it. But somehow,
nothing takes the place of umpiring. Maybe it's because I feel that deep
down I'm providing a fair chance for all the kids to play the game without
disagreements and arguments.
With all the fun I've had, there is still something that bothers me about my
job. Some of you folks don't understand why I'm here. Some of you feel I'm
there to exert authority over your son. For that reason, you often yell at
me when I make a mistake, or encourage your son to say things that hurt my
feelings. How many of you really understand that I try to be perfect? I try
not to make a mistake. I don't want your son to feel he got a bad deal from
an umpire. Yet not matter how hard I try, I can't be perfect. I counted the
number of calls I made in a six-inning game today. The total number of
decisions, whether on balls and strikes or safe and outs, was 146. I tried
my best to get them all right, but I'm sure I missed some. When I figured
out my percentage on paper, I could have missed eight calls today and still
gotten about 95 percent of the calls right. In most occupations that
percentage would be considered excellent. If I were in school, that grade
would receive an A for sure.
But your demands are higher than that. Let me tell you more about my game
today. There was one real close call that ended the game. A runner for the
home team was trying to steal the plate on a passed ball. The catcher chased
the ball down and threw to the pitcher covering the plate. The pitcher made
the tag and I called the runner out. As I was getting my equipment to leave,
I overheard one of the parents comment, "It's too bad the kids have to lose
games because of rotten umpires. That was one of the lousiest calls I've
ever seen." Later, at the concession stand, a couple of kids were telling
their friends, "Boy, the umpires were lousy today. They lost the game for
us." I felt just terrible when I got home. Here was a group of kids who had
made a lot of mistakes which had cost them a number of runs.
The purpose of Little League is to teach baseball skills to young men.
Obviously', a team which does not play well in a given game, yet is given
the opportunity to blame that loss on an umpire for one call or two, is
being given the chance to take all responsibility for the loss from their
shoulders. A parent or adult leader who permits the younger player to blame
his failures on an umpire, regardless of the quality of that umpire, is
doing the worst kind of injustice to that youngster. Rather than learning
responsibility, such an attitude is fostering an improper outlook toward the
ideals of the game itself. This irresponsibility is bound to carry over to
future years.
As I sit here writing this letter, I am no longer as upset as I was this
afternoon, I wanted to quit umpiring, but fortunately, my wife reminded me
of another situation that occurred last week. I was umpiring behind the
plate for a pitcher who pantomimed his displeasure at any call on a
borderline pitch that was not in his team's favor. One could sense that he
wanted the crowd to realize that he was a fine, talented player who was
doing his best to get along, but that I was a black-hearted villain who was
working against him. The kid continued acting like this for two innings,
while at the same time yelling at his own players, who dared to make a
mistake. For two innings the manager watched this. When the kid returned to
the dugout to bat in the top of the third, the manager called him aside. In
a voice loud enough that I was able to overhear, the lecture went like this:
"Listen son, it is time you make a decision. You can be an umpire, an actor,
or a pitcher. But you can only be one at a time when you are playing for me.
Right now it is your job to pitch. And, you are basically doing a lousy job.
Leave the acting to actors, the umpiring to the umpires, or you won't do any
pitching here. Now what is it going to be?"
Needless to say, the kid chose the pitching route and went on to win the
game. When the game was over the kid followed me to my car. Fighting his
hardest to keep back the tears he apologized for his actions and thanked me
for umpiring his game. He said he had learned a lesson that he would never
forget.
I can't help but wonder how many more fine young men are missing their
chance to develop into outstanding ball players because their parents
encourage them to spend time umpping.
The following morning Donald Jensen died of a brain concussion.
Taken from the book, “A 3rd helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, 101 more stories to open the heart and rekindle the soul”
All of the following statements are FALSE. Check your rule bookrences to find out why.
Top 40 Baseball Rule Myths
1. The hands are considered part of the bat.
2. The batter-runner must turn to his right after over-running first base.
3. If the batter breaks his wrists when swinging, it's a strike.
4. If a batted ball hits the plate first it's a foul ball.
5. The batter cannot be called out for interference if he is in the batter's box.
6. The ball is dead on a foul-tip.
7. The batter may not switch batter's boxes after two strikes.
8. The batter who batted out of order is the person declared out.
9. The batter may not overrun first base when he gets a base-on-balls.
10. The batter is out if he starts for the dugout before going to first after a dropped third strike.
11. If the batter does not pull the bat out of the strike zone while in the bunting position, it's an automatic strike.
12. The batter is out if a bunted ball hits the ground and bounces back up and hits the bat while the batter is holding the bat.
13. The batter is out if his foot touches the plate.
14. The batter-runner is always out if he runs outside the running lane after a bunted ball.
15. A runner is out if he slaps hands or high-fives other players, after a homerun is hit over the fence.
16. Tie goes to the runner.
17. The runner gets the base he's going to, plus one on a ball thrown out-of-play.
18. Anytime a coach touches a runner, the runner is out.
19. Runners may never run the bases in reverse order.
20. The runner must always slide when the play is close.
21. The runner is always safe when hit by a batted ball while touching a base.
22. A runner may not steal on a foul-tip.
23. It is a force out when a runner is called out for not tagging up on a fly ball.
24. An appeal on a runner who missed a base cannot be a force out.
25. A runner is out if he runs out of the baseline to avoid a fielder who is fielding a batted ball.
26. Runners may not advance when an infield fly is called.
27. No run can score when a runner is called out for the third out for not tagging up.
28. A pitch that bounces to the plate cannot be hit.
29. The batter does not get first base if hit by a pitch after it bounces.
30. If a fielder holds a fly ball for 2 seconds it's a catch.
31. You must tag the base with your foot on a force out or appeal.
32. The ball is always immediately dead on a balk.
33. If a player's feet are in fair territory when the ball is touched, it is a fair ball.
34. The ball must always be returned to the pitcher before an appeal can be made.
35. With no runners on base, it is a ball if the pitcher starts his windup and then stops.
36. The pitcher must come to a set position before a pick-off throw.
37. The pitcher must step off the rubber before a pick-off throw.
38. If a fielder catches a fly ball and then falls over the fence it is a homerun.
39. The ball is dead anytime an umpire is hit by the ball.
40. The home plate umpire can overrule the other umps at anytime.
