Strangest thing an Umpire has said to you?

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Dec 15, 2018
809
93
CT
Undeclared income is an issue.

I get that you were giving tax advice, I just didn't get why it was a logical/appropriate/witty response to the wishful thinking that parents would go away. No need to explain it further though, from past threads I see you seem to be particularly concerned with cash payments to umpires.
 
Mar 28, 2020
40
8
After a somewhat embarrassing and miserable Saturday in the rain, our team came back to redeem themselves in the Sunday morning game. We were the only out of state team. The umpiring crew was being trained- we were told at the outset of the game- but with a veteran at the plate. Our pitching looked good, and we had a healthy lead going into the 4th. That's when the crazy-pants calls started coming and the zone shrunk incredibly for our pitchers and not theirs. One of our runners was called out after being tagged by the glove of their SS... who didn't even have the ball. It was WILD. Long story short, they advanced and we did not. Their coaches and the umps were having some laughs while we packed up.

My husband was HOT since dd pitched that game. As we walked out to the car, another parent caught his attention and standing about 10 feet apart my husband said, "Well, the umps just stole that one from us... that was AWFUL." And the home plate ump stepped out from behind his vehicle (just magically appeared!) where he was smoking a cig, stepped between them, pointed a finger in my husband's face and said, "if you don't get in your car and leave now I'm calling the police and having you arrested!" I thought that escalated pretty quickly. My husband calmly (surprisingly!) said, "This was a private conversation, not addressed at you, but do what you have to do. I'm happy to talk to the police." We hung around for a few more minutes without incident, but it was the weirdest flex I have seen by an ump.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
After a somewhat embarrassing and miserable Saturday in the rain, our team came back to redeem themselves in the Sunday morning game. We were the only out of state team. The umpiring crew was being trained- we were told at the outset of the game- but with a veteran at the plate. Our pitching looked good, and we had a healthy lead going into the 4th. That's when the crazy-pants calls started coming and the zone shrunk incredibly for our pitchers and not theirs. One of our runners was called out after being tagged by the glove of their SS... who didn't even have the ball. It was WILD. Long story short, they advanced and we did not. Their coaches and the umps were having some laughs while we packed up.

My husband was HOT since dd pitched that game. As we walked out to the car, another parent caught his attention and standing about 10 feet apart my husband said, "Well, the umps just stole that one from us... that was AWFUL." And the home plate ump stepped out from behind his vehicle (just magically appeared!) where he was smoking a cig, stepped between them, pointed a finger in my husband's face and said, "if you don't get in your car and leave now I'm calling the police and having you arrested!" I thought that escalated pretty quickly. My husband calmly (surprisingly!) said, "This was a private conversation, not addressed at you, but do what you have to do. I'm happy to talk to the police." We hung around for a few more minutes without incident, but it was the weirdest flex I have seen by an ump.
... that would be the moment where the umpire who pops out smoking a cigarette and acts like that earned the nick name
PUFFY.
😂
 
May 1, 2018
659
63
I had a new catcher who would try and frame pitches that were a mile from a strike. We played a team that was pretty bad and the catcher caught a ball that was eye level of the batter and dropped back down and framed it like it was the last inning of the world series.
I start cracking up, joking about it with my asst coach and the parents next to the dugout.
The other teams coach calls time and goes to the HP ump and he calls me over. Other teams coach "I don't appreciate you laughing at my batter he is out here trying his best" I was about to speak when the Ump stepped up for me. "Are you not watching this catcher frame pitches that are about to hit the backstop?"
I told the coach I would never laugh at a player that is trying their best...... unless they were my player and I have a relationship with them. "Just watch the catcher the next couple of pitches and tell me if it isn't funny as hell."
Three pitches later she gives me a thumbs up from her dugout.
 
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