Click the title to see if my experiences mirror some of your own.

After more than 50 rejections, I had finally found four umpires to cover my first date as an assignor. I had to cover personally for one no-show, but the evening went far better than I could have hoped.

Mr. Childress writes:

We're not sure if Walt's stories are true. But, to paraphrase Mr. Nightlinger from The Cowboys: If they aren't, they oughta be.

Have you ever been to a softball game where your partner didn't show up or didn't know what to do?  Have you been assigned a one-umpire game and were afraid you might not be in the correct position or make the correct call?  The latter is happening quite often, and I can guarantee you that before you hang up your umpire gear, the first will also occur.

We certainly do not advocate or encourage using one umpire in calling games. But if it is necessary, it can be accomplished with a certain degree of efficiency. You'll find the rest, of course, inside.

The ultimate worst case scenario for an umpire is a physical altercation with a spectator. Such events typically require a "build-up" period, in which the two parties engage in a series of heated exchanges that result in a physical encounter. 

 

Although such occurrences are rare, they can and will happen to umpires. I've seen it happen twice with my own eyes!

It is naive for an umpire to think that all altercations are solely the result of a spectator's contempt. Umpires can bring conflict on themselves quite easily, and this article is intended to help them avoid such situations at all costs.

Just sign-in now to learn how those situations can be avoided.