Clinton vs. Karns Game
For all that saw it, the bang-bang play @ 1st. was a judgement call. The field umpire called the runner out. The plate umpire reverses the call. My question is why? Was there irrefutable evidence? IMO, no. The ball didn't get dropped. That being said the umpires are human, mistakes can be made. My problem is the actions of the umpires after the play. Both umpires verbally attacked the Clinton dugout. The field umpire dropped the f-bomb. And I'll quote "This wouldn't have happened if you would have voted for 3 f'in umpires" speaking directly with the Head Coach. Now if this had been a coach talking, as soon as that word came out of his mouth he would have been thrown out. No question, do not pass go, go to the house. Eddie Turpin defends his boys to a fault. There are about 3 of them in the whole association that are good. Mr. Umpire you are not as much a part of the game as you think you are. You should be invisible. Make the call to the best of your ability and that is all. Stop trying to influence the game. I'll say it again, stop trying to influence the game. Eddie, sorry but sometimes you're guys are dead wrong. I'm not talking about the call, I'm talking about the way they conduct themselves.
This situation is exactly why things get out of control. The Coalfield incident for example. First of all, the kid was dead wrong. But if the umpire had gotten away from the dugout it wouldn't have happened. Once again an umpire antagonizing an already unstable group of temperamental young men. The players and coaches start in the fall and work til spring just to get their season started. Umpires pass a test and have a meeting and then they are on the field. Players and coaches have a little more invested than the umpires do. Umpires collect their $ and go home and cry and complain how "it's just a game". I agree, it's just a game but if I invested as much time,effort, and energy in checkers as players and coaches do in preparing for a season, I would be a cut throat player to anyone who sat down across from the table to play me at Cracker Barrel. So for the sake of the game stop attacking dugouts, quit trying to influence the outcome of a game, and make the call to the best of your ability. That's all anyone asks.