One of the first baseball games I umpired was played amid protests.
It was the summer of 1967, I was 16 years old, and had just finished three very enjoyable years of playing in the Babe Ruth League at Dunkirk.
I chose umpiring as an easy source of income, but still got to hang out around baseball fields.
That spring, I was a light hitter and good defensive sophomore playing first base for the Cardinal Mindsenti High School Monarchs.
On weekends, I worked as a rookie reserve infielder for the Sheridan Pablos of the old Grape Belt League.
Dave Criscione
But I digress. Step back in time to Veterans Field, located behind Babe Ruth League Field on Lucas Avenue in Dunkirk.
That season, several Babe Ruth games were forced to be postponed due to weather, and two regular season games were scheduled at the same time to improve the situation.
As a new umpire, I was given a home plate assignment knowing that if I messed up, a fully qualified umpire was working on an adjacent field.
Things were going well until the batter whiffed when the runner on first base tried to steal second base.
Playing defense that day was Dunkirk’s all-time great, Dave Criscione. When the batter swung, he dropped the ball into Dave’s glove.
Dave immediately sent the ball to second base, easily obliterating the runner who foolishly attempted to steal base. The play wasn’t even close, but that’s just how good Dave’s right arm was.
the only problem was that i called “Foul ball” Killing the play and sending the lucky runner back to first base.
I’ve rarely seen a catcher catch a foul-tipped ball, much less one with the skill to react in time to shoot down a potential base stealer. No one else in town could make that play.
My ignorance of the foul tip rule was not lost on the baseball savvy Criscione, who quickly contradicted me on my foul ball call.
I defended my decision, but knowing the future major league catcher for the Baltimore Orioles as much as I did, I was confident he had a really good case against me. Ta.
Play was stopped as the defense filed a formal protest. The news was immediately relayed to the Babe Ruth League on-field umpire, who confirmed Dave’s version of the rules.
According to the rulebook, even if a foul chip landed in the catcher’s hand or glove, the ball was still alive, and Dave was well within his rights to strike out the base runner.
All I could do was apologize for my disappointing decision and promise to improve.
As a result, the following spring I signed up for a junior umpire rules class. I studied hard. I passed the exam with flying colors.
Over the next 50 years, I never lost a protest in either baseball or softball, and I’m sure there were a few protests.
Embarrassment is a great motivator.
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Do you have a favorite, funny, weird, best or worst memory about officiating, competing, or watching amateur sports? Contact us at mandpp@hotmail.com to share your memories.
Bill Hammond is the former sports editor of the Evening Observer
Chad Bartoszek and his football team visited Pittsford-Sutherland High School for a new tournament last Saturday.
