Don’t Like What You See on the Field?
Image by dbang via Flickr
One of fields we travel to has one of my favorite signs in the whole world posted on each field. No it’s not "do not hit ball into fence" or "no pepper". It is:
IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU SEE ON THE FIELD THEN VOLUNTEER
As you sit in the stands for hours on end, you read this sign at least a thousand times. How true is that? It is amazing how much people are willing to complain, yet they never step up to actually volunteer themselves.
Most of the complaints are lodged at umpires, though many complain about coaches as well. But the most under appreciated group of volunteers is the umpires. Did he say volunteers? Yes VOLUNTEERS!
EVERY UMPIRE ON A LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD IS (or is supposed to be anyway) A VOLUNTEER!
They are not paid by most leagues! Any league that does pay umpires is violating Little League policy.
Can you imagine treating a hurricane relief volunteer passing out ice in 95 degree temperature the same as some treat Little League Volunteer Umpires? What makes them different? If umpires blow EVERY call, it still didn’t cause anyone to win or lose, and besides WHO CARES! It is not about winning and losing is it?
I have become very intolerant of anyone criticizing an umpire . When we have so many umpires lining up to volunteer that we have to turn them away, then we can criticize, for now, my only comment for an umpire is:
THANK YOU BLUE!
Do you have any great volunteer umpire stories? Please submit them here so we can recognize their thankless efforts!
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