Hits Happen 20
Endless Retirement tour
OK the fields we play on have multiple pitching rubbers in the ground. One is clearly marked 50' before our first game of the night ump walks out covers this rubber and uncovers the next one back 53'or 54'. I go out to the rubber uncover the 50 and proceed to pitch the first inning. Get through with the inning next trip out to the mound the ump comes out and tells me I need to pitch from back one. Befuddled I agrue and say I thought 50 was USSSA distance. He says that is where he always calls it from so that is where it will be tonight. To this I said well we play here Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and a number of tournaments and can always pitch from here.
Anyway- I pitched from where he said and really struggled with the extra distance along with the stiff wind that I was pitching into. The other team had the same problem so a real fun game with alot of walks.
In between games I confered with another ump on the other field and he said I was correct but wouldn't back me up to out ump.
Then half way through the second game he finally told me to shut it and quit complaining and told me his reason was that "the back rubber was "elevated" and I don't want a pitcher back peddling, slip and fall so that is it done one more word and you are gone."
OK- So if he feels it is unsafe to play by the rules is it ok to change them like this or should he call the field unfit for play...?
Also if he would have told me this from the start I still would have said he was wrong and complained but less and I wouldn't have thought he was clueless.
Rant over.
Anyway- I pitched from where he said and really struggled with the extra distance along with the stiff wind that I was pitching into. The other team had the same problem so a real fun game with alot of walks.
In between games I confered with another ump on the other field and he said I was correct but wouldn't back me up to out ump.
Then half way through the second game he finally told me to shut it and quit complaining and told me his reason was that "the back rubber was "elevated" and I don't want a pitcher back peddling, slip and fall so that is it done one more word and you are gone."
OK- So if he feels it is unsafe to play by the rules is it ok to change them like this or should he call the field unfit for play...?
Also if he would have told me this from the start I still would have said he was wrong and complained but less and I wouldn't have thought he was clueless.
Rant over.
