Strangest thing an Umpire has said to you?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Apr 20, 2015
961
93
worst one was one hop grounder up 3b line, and ump ruled it a fair ball " cause the fielder's feet were in fair territory". ball was clearly foul by 2-3 feet.

Had this happen in a game when the ball and her feet were clearly foul by 2-3 feet…as the team that the call was for we all sat there like ummm what do we do now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
May 1, 2018
659
63
Me: Blue what's the count
Ump: Signals with the sun behind him so I can't see.
Me: Sorry blue I can't see.
Ump: The pay attention and know the count
Me: Or you could use your voice like you just did.
 
Oct 10, 2018
305
63
Some of the things I'm reading in this thread make me realize why there are fewer and fewer officials to ump/ref games. I bet any coach who posted some of the rude things they have said about a bad call never once told the ump the opposing coach is right and their player is out on that steal or that 3rd strike blue gave them really was a ball.

Keep it in perspective, it all evens out in the end **Some days you are the dog, some days you are the hydrant.** A quick "not the way I saw it blue" gets the point across without being rude. And nasty comments will likely lead to more, not fewer, calls against you. I judged dog shows for many years (performance sports) you better believe nasty competitors were never cut any slack or given the benefit of the doubt.
 
Jun 20, 2015
848
93
99% of the time i ask for clarification or if partner might have better view and move on. BUT an egregious error like the foul ball that is clearly foul and the ump doesn't know the rule, got more attention. And I was not abusive, foul language or anything. I do know that the optic looked bad with the 6', 300 pound man questioning the maybe 5' lady umpire as to just just what in the heck she is talking about. And when the answer was "it's a fair ball cause 3b feet were in fair territory", i think every coach everywhere is gonna bust a gasket. If she had said "I saw the ball as in fair territory", no matter how wrong she would have been in this case, at least the rule would have been correctly applied.

After the field ump confirmed the plate ump incorrect rule application, i was done dealing with them. if I had the $100 in my pocket, the official protest would have been filed. Won't ever make that mistake again. LOL
 
Dec 15, 2018
809
93
CT
Me: Blue what's the count
Ump: Signals with the sun behind him so I can't see.
Me: Sorry blue I can't see.
Ump: The pay attention and know the count
Me: Or you could use your voice like you just did.

Though it doesn't bother me (unless you're doing it every batter or something), a lot of guys get grumpy and don't feel like they are a "concierge", helping you keep track of the count.

Also, "please" and/or using their name helps. Hey, rick, can I get the count please?

(Same goes for umps, "Coaches, please." vs. "I need coaches" for getting you to the plate meeting for example).
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Though it doesn't bother me (unless you're doing it every batter or something), a lot of guys get grumpy and don't feel like they are a "concierge", helping you keep track of the count.

Also, "please" and/or using their name helps. Hey, rick, can I get the count please?

(Same goes for umps, "Coaches, please." vs. "I need coaches" for getting you to the plate meeting for example).
Ohhh 'concierge' theres a great word! Yes i do think there are some that treat umpires like that.
Screenshot_20211221-063838_Gallery.jpg
But i do not think umpires are to be treated as such.
Umpires are not on the field to make everything go 'your' way.

Lol the concierge says,
"Would you like that to be an out coach?
No problem let me fix that for you..."
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
We were on defense.

Umpire called ball foul, then fair. What? Most our defense stopped playing and were walking around before they knew what was happening. I was really confused too.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
We were on defense.

Umpire called ball foul, then fair. What? Most our defense stopped playing and were walking around before they knew what was happening. I was really confused too.
Lol
Red light 🟥
Green light🟩

Reminds me to say
'always finish the play'
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
Also, "please" and/or using their name helps. Hey, rick, can I get the count please?

(Same goes for umps, "Coaches, please." vs. "I need coaches" for getting you to the plate meeting for example).

When I coach summer rec. ball, the umpires we have are the same guys/ladies I work with the rest of the year (including summer tournaments on the weekends), and since I don't want to hear about them griping about me at our tournaments, I'm not going to do it as a coach any other time. Usually, if I get sidetracked, I'll reach out at a good time in an AB and say, "Hey, Ron, do you have 2-1 or 2-2?" and I always follow up by saying, "Got it, THANKS."

To me, it's more about setting a basic example for my ladies about umpire etiquette over anything else. I stress to them, "Unless you have a question about the count or need time or want to say hello, let me handle talking to officials about rules or interpretations." (most of them wouldn't know how to anyway, so 2 birds, 1 stone...) Even as an official when I have rule questions brought to me, or substitutions, etc, I will always say "you're welcome", even if a coach is pissed or doesn't say "thank you" before. To me, it's how I was brought up and some coaches get sent a subliminal message by doing it (passive aggressiveness does have its moments now and again).
 
Aug 12, 2016
21
3
I was coaching in a tournament in Tennessee. I was coaching third and argued a call at the plate. The home plate umpire looked at me a said something, I have no idea what he said. It sounded like Boomhauer from King of the Hill. I only said "Okay" and walked back to my coaches box.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,475
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top