Welcome to Issue #4 of The Umpire's Call, a monthly (January - May) newsletter for amateur baseball umpires and those interested in becoming baseball umpires. Our readership continues to grow and most of the credit goes to our present readers who have forwarded this newletter to colleagues.

Many of our seasons have begun and muscles that have not been used in a bit are rearing their ugly heads! Aches and pains means our bodies need more attention and better care. Stretching, plenty of liquids, and additional rest are keys to making the beginning of the season a little more pain free.

Baseball is a unique sport in the fact the there is no clock, the defensive team cannot score, and one does not have to be tall or large to play the game. It is also unique in the fact that its amateur arbiters, the ambassadors of the game, the righters of wrongs are expected to dress and undress in the parking lot!

I can think of no other sport where a game official has to create his/her own locker room (if there is a parking spot), lean on a Buick for balance to tie shoes, use the sun glaring off a car window as a mirror, and hide behind a raised trunk as a means of privacy while donning protective undergarments!

I realize that most fields are located some distance from perhaps any type of locker room or dressing facility, yet neither basketball officials, football officials, or even government officials would change in anything less than a private, clean, and secure area.

On a bit more serious note, it is only going to take one time when a disgruntled fan or a concerned parent calls authorities because there was less than a properly clad adult in the parking lot, near the school and children. It is time for program administrators and activity directors to prevent this scenario by treating baseball umpires as they would all other athletic officials by providing a private, clean, secure area to dress and properly prepare for the game.

	Perfect Pre-Game Preparation
We have all thought it and done it! I have worked with him before, he knows me and I know him. We work so many games together - our coverage is automatic. We have been at this for years, if something goes wrong we'll handle it on the field. As the spring baseball season progresses and our schedules become packed with both scheduled and make up games, we find ourselves with tighter time constraints and later arrivals to our game sites. Try very hard to arrange your game day so there is ample time for a pre-game conference with your partner. A phone call earlier on game day to confirm game time and travel can be the start of the pre-game conference. Suggestions for umpire pre-game conference Equipment check responsibilities Fair/Foul coverage Fly Ball coverage with and without base runners Runners touching bases Tag-ups and taking runners into bases Rotation of HP umpire to 3rd base and 1st base Batted and thrown balls going out of play Infield fly responsibilities Check swings Communication - verbal and non-verbal Just a few moments of preparation, even with your regular partner, will help eliminate errors in coverage and embarrassment later in the day.

	On Your Mark, Get Set, Go...
Beginning a game properly starts with the managers/coaches conference at home plate. This gathering sets the tone for the day and will do much to eliminate potential confusion later in the contest. The conference should begin no later than ten minutes prior to game time and players are to be in their respective dugouts. The home plate umpire standing behind home plate, facing the field, leads the meeting while base umpire(s) are standing in front of home plate, facing the plate umpire Umpires should introduce themselves to each manager/coach - use a firm handshake and make eye contact. Line up cards should be presented to the home plate umpire, first by the home team manager/coach and then the visiting team manager/coach. The home plate umpire will inspect the cards for correct number of players in the batting order, use of a designated hitter, duplicate defensive positions, and ask any needed questions to assure correctness. Some conferences and leagues may require the manager's/coach's signature. The home team manager/coach should cover the ground rules. If at a neutral site, the home plate umpire should preside. Be precise, listen carefully, ask questions, and make sure all ground rules are understood. Confirm the number of games, innings, special rule adaptations and run rule(s). Ask each manager/coach to confirm that their players are properly equipped. Request the managers/coaches cooperation in keeping the game moving along by getting defensive players to their positions quickly between innings. Should there be introductions and/or playing of the National Anthem umpires are to remain at home plate until all pre-game activities are concluded. With only ten or less minutes to cover much information, do it professionally, and be concise. These important few minutes will do much to make your day a great deal easier and more fun!

	2004 Amateur Umpire Training
Plymouth, WI When: Saturday, April 17, 2004 Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Cost: $10.00 Where: Plymouth High School Contact: Rex Beebe, 920-893-0249, rbeebe@wi.rr.com Instructor: Scott Ott, 1976 Al Somers Umpire School Graduate, NCAA Div.2, NCAA Div.3, NAIA, WI, MN High School Umpire. Experienced instructor at clinics in The United States, Canada, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Germany. The Plymouth training session has been approved by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Umpires who successfully complete either course and are WIAA registered baseball umpires will be given credit for 1 varsity contest if he/she is a L4, L5, or Master official, or will be allowed to advance one level in classification if he/she is a L1, L2, or L3 official. This applies to baseball only. Advancement or game credit will be applied to 2004-2005 renewal. Attendance at either clinic does not exempt umpires from attending required WIAA sport/rule meetings.

	The Answer Is?
Answers to Part 1 of the National Federation of State High School Associations Baseball Rules Examination. The answer to the following numbered questions are TRUE, the answers to the numbered questions not listed are FALSE 1,3,4,7,8,9,10,13,14,15,16,21,22,25,26,31,32,40,45,48, 49,50,51,52,53,56,57,59,61,62,64,69,70,72,73,74,76,78, 79,81,83,84,85,87,88,89,90,92,93,95,96,99

	Situations From the Audience
Jason Bittner, an umpire from Madison, WI, bittner@engr.wisc.edu., raised the following questions in the March issue of The Umpire's Call I really don't know the best way to handle the unfortunate situation of opposite calls. The place where this happened to me was, as UIC, covering a play at third with 2 outs, runner on first. After a base hit, I called to my partner that I had the play (lead runner into third), but he either didn't hear or ignored it. I saw it safe; he called it out. I'm sure my angle was better, but after a brief discussion, the (older, more seasoned) base umpire "convinced" me he had it right (it didn't really matter in the outcome of the game, but I hate that argument for "justifying" a call). Other issues that could arise: 1. What if R1 proceeds home during the discussion as time was never called? What if defensive coach comes out to argue, while the 2 umps are talking, while R1 is headed home? 2. What if R1 leaves base (R1 thinks he's already out by the verbal announcement), is tagged by F5, steps back on the base, and then subsequently the umpires say he beat the throw? 3. What if Batter-Runner rounds first, hears the base umpire declare out at third, and then leaves the base path to return to his dugout? Is he automatically called out for leaving the base path? What if instead Batter Runner removes his helmet for the batboy to take back after overrunning first? Mike Tischendorf, tischref@aol.com, formerly of Holmen, WI and now of Shakopee, MN submitted this response and was selected for publication. Needless to say, this raises pertinent issues that would concern any umpire who cares about his performance. Any sort of lack of communication regardless of how and why it happens will cause problems eventually. You raised some good questions and "what if's?" after the call (or calls) were made---none of which would be easy. After giving this much thought, I have come up with some ways in handling this so the damage is minimal. These are not fool proof: however, they are intended to prevent a bad situation from becoming absolutely disastrous. 1. Once you realized that there were two different calls made on one play, time should be called as soon as possible. There is already confusion in everyone's mind, no sense in making it worse. 2. Any verbal or non-verbal command that inadvertently puts a player in jeopardy of being put out at no fault of his own is protected to occupy a base until EVERYTHING is sorted out---such as the runner on third walking off or the runner on first leaving the base path. (e.g.:two runners standing on one base, you must both point and verbalize the specific player that is out when both are tagged while standing on the base. If you just say "He's out!", both might walk off and now you have to deal with the screaming offensive team's coach.) 3. Since the coverage in your example is clearly described in the umpire's manual that the home plate umpire has this call at third, it should be the home plate umpire's call that stands regardless of it being right or wrong. Besides, if it was a bang-bang play, you would probably get some grief from one of the teams anyway even if you were the only one who made the call. If the base umpire were older and more seasoned, he should have realized that it was NOT his call in the first place.

	Will You Help?
Thanks for reading the issue#4 of The Umpire's Call. Here are a few things you can do to help: 1. Click on my email address below and provide feedback. Include any questions, concerns, or announcements. 2. Share this newsletter with others by clicking "Forward Email" at the bottom of the page. 3. The May issue will be the last for 2004, please get to me anything that needs to be published or can be of help to umpires in your area. Thanks for your help and my best regards, Scott

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