Any What is your most embarrassing/funny moment as an umpire?
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Bombdropper10
Addicted to Softballfans
i was umping the field and had a girl hit a grounder and i stopped it cuz i thought it was foul so the outfielder wouldnt have to run, little did i know the home plate umpire called the ball fair haha
trip
stfu
i did that **** last night.
hard to keep up sometimes with the pitchers are throwing 75+% balls.
NCASAUmp
Un-Retired
Knocked a runner in a senior slow pitch game flat on his ass. I was on the bases, and the batter hit a shallow fly ball to right field. The runner on first took off, stopped, then headed back to first. I moved in, glanced at the ball, then WHAM! Apparently, he'd changed his mind again. 
160 lb runner vs. (then) 210 lb umpire was a "no contest."
160 lb runner vs. (then) 210 lb umpire was a "no contest."
eddieq
The Great and Powerful Q
Pitcher struggling, ball - ball - ball - ball four. ball - ball - ball - ball four. You get the picture.
New batter, pitch comes in, meatball. Dead center of the plate at the belt. I give a loud, "BALL!" in my "strike" voice and stand up and give the "hammer".
There was also the chocolate in my indicator incident, but that was less embarrassing. NCASAUmp knows that story.
New batter, pitch comes in, meatball. Dead center of the plate at the belt. I give a loud, "BALL!" in my "strike" voice and stand up and give the "hammer".
There was also the chocolate in my indicator incident, but that was less embarrassing. NCASAUmp knows that story.
NCASAUmp
Un-Retired
Done that too. Wishful thinking, I guess . . .
The worst was one of the first games I ever umpired for money. I'm 16, working the bases for college IMs. Batter trying to stretch a single, gonna be close at second, I'm right on top of it - ball comes in, swipe tag, ball gets dropped, runner overslides, infielder retrieves ball, tag gets made.
You can guess by now what I called.
"Out! Safe! OUUUUUTTTTTT!!!!" All three calls with a big Ron Luciano sell.
Well, I knew ONE of them would be right . . . And that's when I learned to wait; they ain't nothin' till I call 'em.
Illegal pitcher
The Veteran
Years ago, as a Little League umpire, I called "ball" a wee bit too early, because the batter swung as I called it. Did it more than once, actually. :doh:
Just remember this:
Umpiring is the only profession on the planet, where 100% absolute total perfection is the bare minimum requirement. Airline pilots and brain surgeons are given more margin for error.
That being said, in my first year, I was PU and called the first two pitches of the game. I know I got them right because I could see the pitches perfectly. Why? because I forgot to put my mask on. Yes, this was fastpitch.
Umpiring is the only profession on the planet, where 100% absolute total perfection is the bare minimum requirement. Airline pilots and brain surgeons are given more margin for error.
That being said, in my first year, I was PU and called the first two pitches of the game. I know I got them right because I could see the pitches perfectly. Why? because I forgot to put my mask on. Yes, this was fastpitch.
Calli4120
ASA Free Since 05
DeputyUICHousto
Addicted to Softballfans
I have two:
1. I'm BU. It rained earlier in the day so fields are a bit damp. Batter gets a base hit to the outfield. I come inside and buttonhook and my pivot foot slides out from under me...I'm looking at the stars. B/R rounds first and the 2nd baseman throws behind the runner while I'm still on my *ss. I jump up and make a loud "SAFE!" call. I had no idea what the correct call was so I just called him safe. I immediately call time and go to my partner for help.
2. PU in a men's t-ball (aka slow pitch) tournament. Sunday 8am game and I'm hungover. Pitch comes in and its a cookie...8' high and lands 2" behind the plate. My right arm goes up in a strike call and my mouth says "ball". The batter turns and looks at me and the catcher stands up from his squat and asks "Is it a ball or a strike?" Strike of course.
Lots of laughs in both situations.
And NCASA that must have been a long time ago if you were only 210!!!!
1. I'm BU. It rained earlier in the day so fields are a bit damp. Batter gets a base hit to the outfield. I come inside and buttonhook and my pivot foot slides out from under me...I'm looking at the stars. B/R rounds first and the 2nd baseman throws behind the runner while I'm still on my *ss. I jump up and make a loud "SAFE!" call. I had no idea what the correct call was so I just called him safe. I immediately call time and go to my partner for help.
2. PU in a men's t-ball (aka slow pitch) tournament. Sunday 8am game and I'm hungover. Pitch comes in and its a cookie...8' high and lands 2" behind the plate. My right arm goes up in a strike call and my mouth says "ball". The batter turns and looks at me and the catcher stands up from his squat and asks "Is it a ball or a strike?" Strike of course.
Lots of laughs in both situations.
And NCASA that must have been a long time ago if you were only 210!!!!
NCASAUmp
Un-Retired
Hush yo' mouth!
I think this was back in 2008, just before I quit smoking and gained 40 pounds.
I've done the exact same thing in #1. Big divot in the infield, and my foot found it. Rolled around on the ground with my navy blues on. Oops!
High school game Im PU and runner on 2nd. Ball hit to outfield and initially appears there is going to be a play at 3rd so Im headed down to make the call. Outfielder bobbles the ball and runner never slows down rounding 3rd for home. I stop and start to backpedal toward the plate and catch a heel in the dirt and lose my balance. Now Im trying to catch myself running backward and inevitably end up falling flat on my back in a big cloud of dust. The girls all thought it was pretty funny.
Another high school game and Im on bases. Batter hits a shot into left center field and rounds hard for 2nd. I go with the batter runner about 1/2 way to 2nd when she realizes F8 has recovered the ball and she is going to be out, so she reverses hard heading back to 1st. I stopped and turned around headed back to 1st with her but did not realize F4 had for whatever reason come in behind me as I passed. I turned, took 1 step and ran into her face first.
Another high school game and Im on bases. Batter hits a shot into left center field and rounds hard for 2nd. I go with the batter runner about 1/2 way to 2nd when she realizes F8 has recovered the ball and she is going to be out, so she reverses hard heading back to 1st. I stopped and turned around headed back to 1st with her but did not realize F4 had for whatever reason come in behind me as I passed. I turned, took 1 step and ran into her face first.
MP33
Addicted to Softballfans
Last week, umping women's league, talking to the catcher as pitcher is warming up, ball bounces off catchers glove and hits me square in the nuts. I just dropped right there, everyone was laughing.
Couple years ago, I'm BU, women's tournament. Girl overruns 2B, SS tags her, I call her safe, it was a terrible call. I asked HU if I missed the call in between innings, he said yep, missed it bad, asked me what I was looking at, I said 2B ass, he almost fell over laughing. After the game 2B asked what I saw on that play, I just said I was staring at your ass and didn't see it. We wound up going out after the tournament for drinks and breakfast the next morning
Couple years ago, I'm BU, women's tournament. Girl overruns 2B, SS tags her, I call her safe, it was a terrible call. I asked HU if I missed the call in between innings, he said yep, missed it bad, asked me what I was looking at, I said 2B ass, he almost fell over laughing. After the game 2B asked what I saw on that play, I just said I was staring at your ass and didn't see it. We wound up going out after the tournament for drinks and breakfast the next morning
Strawberry
Shin Killer
Couple of years ago I was calling a tourney game between two teams of guys I knew and have played on before. Little did I know that they schemed a plan to get me to clean off the plate and I was bamboozled with the old school pushed over a kneeling person trick. Batter had bent down behind me and catcher bum rushed me to knock me on my backside. To get even I called a strike no matter where it crossed, landed, or speed on their next at bat.