We are teachers, salesmen, police officers, construction workers, postal carriers. Fathers, grandfathers, and a mom. We proudly represent the volunteers from our home states as well as from Nova Scotia, Puerto Rico, Germany, and the Philippines.
Most of all, we are friends.
Come along as I introduce you to the guys. It all starts in "The Umpire Room," tucked away in the bowels (which explains that smell) of Lamade Stadium. A spacious, luxurious setting (not!) full of lively conversation, supportive comments, and gallows humor.
Everything here is state-of-the art,
as you can see from the 2008 sign on our door.
The Umpire Room is where we change into our uniforms, have our pregame meetings, have our postgame meetings, and just hang out. It's already a small area, and with 16 umpires, the umpire room can feel a little cramped. At the beginning of the tournament, we start out with 4 games a day. Often, there's a 6-man crew coming off the field for their post-game meeting, and a 6-man crew trying to have a pre-game. Both these meetings are very important, so there's a little juggling that has to go on to respect each crew's privacy.
And speaking of privacy, you're probably wondering where I dress . . .
Cynthia's Dressing Room
It's not ideal, but it gets the job done. My fellow umpires are very accommodating, and I try to respect their personal space as well.
I have to say, though, that with a urinal in the bathroom, you'd expect the toilet seat to always be down, right?
You'd be wrong.
A large shower stall, four shower heads, no shower curtain. Uh, no.
Why is there an ironing board in the shower? Because there's no room for it anywhere else. Like I said, cramped quarters.
Why an ironing board at all? Umpires tend to their uniforms with military precision. No turned-up collars, no wrinkled pants, sharp creases. Even though we are all volunteers, it's important to us to look dignified and "professional." That's why the ironing board is so important.
If only we had an iron.
Each day's schedule is posted the day before, usually late afternoon or early evening, once the teams have been determined. Understandably, no umpire is on the field when their region's team is playing so that there is no perceived bias.
You know how the sound of the can-opener brings your pet running to the kitchen? The posting of the schedule has the same effect.
We're so excited to be here, and we want to be on the field for every game. Unfortunately, the math doesn't allow that. The anticipation becomes more intense as we draw closer to the Championship weekend, as there are still 16 umpires, but not enough games to go around.
I guess at this point, we are competitors for those coveted spots, but with this great team in blue, there is only support for one another.
One of several motivational signs
posted in the Umpire Room.
Being the only female on the crew, I have been perceived by the media as a "human interest" story. The common question in every interview is "How are the other umpires treating you?"
With complete indifference.
It's the highest compliment I can pay them: they have treated me like one of the guys - - for better or worse -- and I love them for it.
The LLWS Sports Photographer caught Marcus' great third strike call and made it into a life-size poster. Note the inserts that show his frame-by-frame finesse.
He and his girlfriend made the trip together from Germany and have been able to make a vacation of it. Before the tournament started, they visited Niagara Falls where Marcus proposed and Nicole said yes. Welcome to America!
Given the fact he's from Canada, it makes perfect sense that Nick is a devoted fan of . . . the Boston RedSox. Huh? He's built his own fanbase, thanks to his entertaining strike call that's somewhere in between a banshee who's been shot by a bow & arrow and that screeching noise your washer-dryer makes when one of the belts is loose.
We're always hydrating before the game. Very important, particularly since the weather has been unseasonably warm. Volunteers also bring out even more water during the game, and we gulp it down.
Didn't seem like the best of ideas during that 9-inning game, though.
Thankfully, there's no interaction with the parents here. They get a little loud and rowdy, but they're here to support their kids whom they dearly love. And that's alright by me.
Here's my crew as we are about to take the field for the Great Lakes - Czech Republic game. Vinnie (Connecticut), Wayne (Arizona), Nick (Nova Scotia, and standing on a chair), Garland (Texas), and Luis (Puerto Rico). This turned out to be a historic game as the Czech Republic got their first win at the Little League World Series.
It was a special moment for the team, and we were all touched by the joy and delight of those kids.
We are "supervised" by three experienced umpires who keep us focused, provide supportive feedback, and establish the light mood we need to stay relaxed amid the pressure. Mike, Frank, and Doc make sure we show up where we're supposed to be, whether it's a game or a tournament event.
It can be very taxing for them.
Here's Frank. He's either taking a nap or showing his
frustration at our performance in the last game.
Seriously, our umpire supervisors have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, and I don't envy them. They're given 16 umpires they've never met or seen work, and they must decide our assignments and position. They have to predict our judgment, our hustle, and our temperament on the field. How will we handle the pressure of the crowd, the intensity of the game, the scrutiny of the Video Replay? They must ensure a game who's outcome is determined fairly by competent officiating.
Mike frequently reminds us of one of his greatest fears -- two umpires making a call on the same play. Each member of the crew has specific responsibilities, and there is no overlap.
Having said that, Mike also reminds us of his GREATEST fear - - two umpiring making DIFFERENT calls on the same play. Never good.
Well, I'm out of time and need to get to the stadium for today's games - - more on "the guys" in my next post!
