David Shelton spoke to this when he wrote the following to the Little League Umpire's mailing list. In thanking a fellow list member for posting umpire references, David, a new LL umpire wrote:
"They give you 6 hours of instruction and tell you to read the little red book and then expect you to work games that the boys are playing their hearts out in. Doesn't seem totally fair to the kids, does it? This is especially true if your just there because the league requires each team to supply a ump and you thought 'How tough can this be?' and don't really study the rules. This is not my case but some of them seem to be that way. "
THAT captures why I umpire. And why I work hard at getting better.
Absolutely beautiful.
I put in the time so that the game that these kids play their hearts out for is decided by their play and by the rules of the game.
Here's some other comments I've collected from others:
I was returning home after a week long business/pleasure trip to Florida. I was on the LAX airport shuttle bus that goes to the long-term parking lot. Two stops after I got on a couple got on, put their luggage on the rack, and sat directly across from me. The women looks at me and says „I know you from somewhere.‰ I am slightly embarrassed cause I don‚t recognize them at all. She says, „You wouldnít know us. You are the umpire guy from Quartz Hill LL.‰ I said yes. She then says that her oldest daughter played F2 on our JrSB team. Even though our season was over last July, she remembers me because her daughter had commented that I talked to her on the field, it helped put her at ease and allowed her to have some fun on the field.
Who says us volunteers don‚t get paid :-)
- Jack Coleman-LevyPark View LL Lancaster, CA Little League District 51
Proud Charter Member of the VAU
A year or so later, after having a difficult season in his own home league, Jack was on the verge of hanging up his LL mask out of frustration. Greg Rogers, CA D15, offered to let Jack work with his D15 crew for the LL softball Sectionals.
Afterward, spirits on the rise, Jack wrote:
I just returned from working my first sectional - 11/12 SB - up in Greg Rogers CA -D15. What an eye opener. Some things I observed and learned:
- There really does exist a LL environment where sanity and logic prevail. A place where the prime objective is looking out for and focusing on the kids (novel idea). A place where logic, sanity and level heads prevail. This place is not just in my dreams but physically exists at Linden LL in CA D15.
- An umpire can have the full support of a DA. The first thing Greg told me when we met at the fields last Friday was that whatever I (or my partner) say is gospel on the field with his 100 percent backup. WHOA <G R I N>
- It is possible to go through 4 games in 4 days without any whining, complaining, arguing, etc. from any managers, coaches or players. It is almost ;-) possible to do the same regarding the fans.
- It is possible for the losing teams to walk away with as much of a positive experience as the winning teams.
- Relearned: Nothing beats the smile of fun and accomplishment on a little boy or girls face, especially on a baseball field.
- Outside of my wife and kids, nothing gives me greater pleasure and a feeling of self-worth than what I do with Little League.
- Important lesson: when you lose significant weight and/or your McDavid tights are stretched out and your cup hangs a bit loose you really don‚t have much protection. I'll spare you the details on this - conjure up your own visuals if you wish.
- A small 10 year old boy can somehow ingest 5 hot dogs and a couple of soft drinks during the course of a single 1:45 long game - and the first words out his mouth after getting in the car to leave the fields is "I'm hungry!"
- As dark and dismal as this crazy avocation of ours gets at times, I just need to remember 1-8 above.
Scott Steinmetz wrote:
I was invited to do another game in Everett on the same field as the other night. After the game a little 11 year old came up to me and asked if I was the same umpire who had been on the field the other night.
After a moment of confusion I realized he had [just] been on the other field opposite mine. We talked for a moment and he told me I did a great job and that he was hoping I would do another game for them.
When an eleven year old, comes up to you, with no prodding from their parents and tells you that you did a fine job and asks you to come back, that is the finest review you can ever receive.
Steve Stiert wrote the following on the OBR discussion board of eteamz.com:
I had no idea when the season started that I'd be umping. In fact, it wasn't until the first game when the coach approached me and asked if I could ump did I realize the league made no provisions for umps, let alone training them. Like I said in a previous post, there was no intelligence involved in my decision to ump-- I simply wanted to participate with my son in his league and the team already had coaches. (Boy, kicking myself now for not grabbing the job of cleaning the porta-potties when I had the chance)....
Finally, and most importantly, I've come to the conclusion that anyone who volunteers to be a little league umpire is definitely putting his heart before his brain. In the days of the caveman, little league umpires were the ones who agreed to stroll out to test if that animal with the big fangs and sharp claws was friendly. If he survived the experiment, his fellow cavemen probably killed him afterwards to protect their gene pool. But, I'd like to think that a few survived the saber-tooth tigers and their brethren and what didn't kill them made the wiser and stronger until one day they evolved into... nah, they all died.
Halfway through the season, as folks start to notice me out there more than about anybody else and never complaining about it, they begin to ask me why and comment on how they admire me for my sacrifice and dedication for both managing and umpiring. This usually make me feel quite guilty and undeserving, since I really do this for selfish reasons. Like you said, I enjoy it immensely. Others treat managing and umpiring as a chore or an obligation. To me it's the only time in my life that I have no, repeat no, stress. This is therapy. It just doesn't get any better. The saying that "a Man never stands so tall as when he stoops to help a little child" is true. And how much better can I feel then when I am standing my tallest. No doubt in my mind that this is an honor and a privilege.
Shalom to all (Peace) - Jack Coleman-LevyPark View LL Lancaster, CA Little League District 51
It all started one rainy winter day in 1986 when my daughter came home from school and asked "Daddy, can I play softball?" I was one of those helpful parents who hung around practice and helped any way I could. The next year I was a coach. The next, a manager.
I began umpiring as part of my manager/coach responsibilities to the league. During the 1989 season, I was "noticed" and befriended by the then District UIC, Bob Larkin (who passed away this past fall). He told me of his philosophy that the kids are working their butts off trying to learn and play the game and that they deserved officials who had the same attitude. He invited me to be on a crew that umpired the West Region LLSB and SLSB tournaments. He told me of his experiences attending the West Region Umpire School and got me fired-up to go. I attended for the first time in 1990.
One Saturday during that 1990 season after attending the school, my team played an 8:00 game. Then, I was scheduled to ump the following game. I hung around the park (by the way, I was on the board by now as Equipment Manager) and filled in to ump 2 more games that day. When I sat down to read the paper after dinner that evening, I realized that I hadn't thought about work once that day. I was hooked at that moment.
Vancouver, Washington
3rd inning and its apparent that we are probably in for a 10 run rule game. Catcher on the losing team is not that all talented. She could barely catch the ball, always had her mitt turned the wrong way to catch it, a lot of passed balls and she rarely even tried to catch anyone stealing.
But as F1 is warming up in the 3rd and balls are getting past her, she is trying her heart out and behind the mask I see this glowing smile, as wide as the mask itself. As I go to brush the plate off, I looked her through that mask and asked, "Your having a good time today aren't you?".
F2 replied, with an even wider grin... "Yup... this is fun, I'm having a great time!"
I returned behind the catch, gave her a pat on the helmet and told her to keep it up, its supposed to be fun.
Bob Larson - New Jersey D1, #43
Seeing this story, Herb Root related a similar story of his own:
Woohoo! I had the plate for our District AAA special games tourney final last year. Close game, lots of whooping and hollering, noisemakers, the whole deal.
F2's bouncing on the balls of his feet, saying partly to me, partly to no one,
"Geez, this is great, I'm catching the championship! I can't believe I'm here! I can't believe this is happening!"
Then he turns to me with a huge grin and asks "Blue, is this fun for you, too?"
My reply kinda got stuck in my throat as I winked and told him,
"Yeah, kid, I'm having fun--now shuttup and catch!"
What a wonderful moment we shared that day!