Days of Yore

It sure has been an interesting weekend of baseball. Friday, I worked a game between Jackson Christian School and Evangelical Christian School (from Memphis). The game was played at a neutral site (Memphis University School). Anyway, my partner was late arriving, and whenever that happens, it usually goes downhill from there. However, the game went pretty smoothly until the bottom of the sixth inning when I missed a call at first base. Joy. I asked my partner what he saw, and thankfully he overturned my call. At least we eventually got it right...lol.

Yesterday, I worked at First Assembly Christian School. We finished the last three innings of a varsity game that had been delayed due to weather, then played two JV games. My partner called me Thursday to let me know he'd like to work the plate for the shortened game, and the first JV game. I said something to the effect of, "Go ahead, Cowboy."...lol. I remember when I was young and insane, and would always do that. I always wanted to work the plate. Mostly because I felt I was the best umpire in the world, and I figured if I was behind the plate, then everything would be under control and nothing could go wrong. These days, I try to AVOID working the plate as much as I can...lol.

Working 2.5 games yesterday reminded me of the days when Mike Clark and I would often work a doubleheader in the morning at one school, then another doubleheader at a different school later that night. We used to do that all the time. Those were crazy days, indeed. Lots of fun. We may have even made a few bucks, too.

A couple of weeks ago, as I was getting ready to start a game, the outsole of my right plate shoe fell off. Just fell off. My plate shoes were 11 years old, so I guess it was about time. Anyway, I worked that game essentially with one shoe. I had been telling Michelle for three years that I needed new shoes, but it always seemed that something else would come up. So, when I got home that night, I showed her my shoe that had disintegrated, and ordered a new pair. I wore them yesterday for the first time, and I love them. They are so comfortable! I may be getting back behind the plate more often now...hehe. I also got a new pair of pants.

It was really great to be back on the field. These games were my first high school games of the year. I told the assigner back in the spring that I was not going to work high school ball at all, because I needed to be around the house a lot to take care of Michelle. I have worked several games in the middle school Christian league, and those games are nice because I get no flack from the coaches or parents, and the games only last about an hour and 15 minutes or so. However, the level of play is only slightly higher than what we used to call Little League. So, it was nice to call some competitive games again. The only reason I ended up working the games this weekend was that because of heavy rain, a bunch of games needed to be made up, and the assignor was desperate. So, he dragged the bottom of the barrel to get me. We are supposed to get more rain the next several days, so I may end up working a few more. We'll see.

The other day I caught myself thinking about how my umpiring career arc is going in the same direction as Mike's. We both had a period where we literally drove all over the country to work as many games as possible. Didn't matter when or where; have game, will travel. Then, when Mike got married and started having kids, he started traveling less and less. Finally, he got to the point where he doesn't work much at all; he'd rather watch his oldest boy play t-ball. I am no longer travelling anywhere outside of town to work games, and have really lowered the total number of games I am working. I can see myself in a few years not working much at all, and going to my son's games instead. Michelle sees me coaching his team, but I don't know about that. I'll still work the occasional game, but I no longer have the desire to work every day, or to drive all over the country to do it.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...