Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:03:24 -0700 (PDT) From: T H Subject: SUMMER BASEBALL (PART 7) SUMMER BASEBALL (SATURDAY) ------------------------------------------------- DEMONS AND ANGELS Now the temperature's really starting to rise. It's the losers bracket finals. If a team loses today, they are done. For the 1st time all week, the crowds are getting testy. The teams are easily agitated and on edge. You can feel it in the air. It can happen when people are away from home this long. When it's the end of the week, and its do or die. The committee wants the strongest umpires working today. Logic says tomorrow, the championships, will be a walk in the park by comparison. The teams tomorrow have proven they are winners. The teams playing today have yet to prove that. ***** We're working a 3-man crew today. Phil is older than me and is at 1st base. I am at 3rd. A somewhat younger umpire has the game behind the plate. His name is Joel. He's 22. He deserves to be here or else Pete and the committee would not have chosen him. And he is good, he knows the history of the game, carries himself respecting the game. This is crucial dear readers, not the history, but the respect. Presence commands respect. See, Joel's only problem is he doesn't project his presence. Therefore, he doesn't get the respect. Let me explain another way. We all go to restaurants. Some wait staff are experienced. Enthusiasm. Confidence. They know the menu, they know how to work their customers. Some others have little or no experience. He or she does not have to tell you they are new. You just know it. With experience, Joel will receive his due respect. He will earn it. The same way a waiter or waitress earns a great tip. Today, he is by design with me. I have walked the walk. Now maybe, just maybe, I can talk the talk. ***** Joel was getting a new asshole today. Nothing he did was right. One of the coaches was questioning every pitch. Chirping from the dugout, instead of being a real man, and coming out to complain. And his players were reflecting his negativity in their own actions. The crowd was feeding on this and becoming downright nasty. Reminds me of Earl Weaver, the hall of fame manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Weaver would pick on you just because. Period. He got thrown out of games as he handed his lineup card to the umpires. He got thrown out of games before they even started. He got tossed after the 1st pitch. Earl the Pearl. One of a kind. Anyway, it was time for me to step in. I suggested to the coach he pick on ME for a change. I booted a call on a big play at 2nd. I called his runner out on a slide, and he should have been safe. If anyone, he should be crawling up my ass. I knew the importance of the game and did not want this to escalate. I thought to myself, this will be fun! So he took me up on my offer. He questioned my ancestry all the way back to Adam. He knew my vehicle and he questioned why I would drive that piece of shit. He tried Earl Weaver's pet trick...he didn't like the color of our shirts. Or the color of my hair. And the icing? He was complaining to me about getting fucked all over the place. Fuck this. Fuck that. He was just plain getting fucked. He didn't realize I was walking him towards center field as he ranted and raved. I listened patiently with my arms at my side. By contrast, his arms were flailing everywhere. His face was a crimson red. I expected to see him burst like a balloon. As I led him past 2nd base, simple eye contact with all the players within earshot told them to get far away. I heard all sorts of giggling going on behind us as we continued. Finally we stopped, as he was having trouble catching his breath. I asked him if he was through. He mumbled yes. So I looked him squarely in the eye. I said these simple 4 words, with the presence to back it up... "Shut the fuck up!" End of discussion and end of problems the rest of the game. It was hilarious to see him have to chug all the way back to his dugout. When Pete, our supervisor , wasn't laughing about it, he was reaming my ass for my choice of words. MY choice of words? And wishing I had stepped in sooner. This coach won today on the scoreboard. Means he'll play tomorrow. Hope he's got an angel pitching...coz he may need all the heavenly help he can get. Because I'll be there. ***** Phil decided to change back at the hotel and immediately left . Joel was almost in tears when we went to our cars to change. I asked Pete to make sure no one got close to us in the parking lot. He did. With the exception of another young man. He came closer. His eyes were focused only on Joel. He brought us bottled waters to drink. He stayed quiet until Joel finished changing. Then they hugged. And kissed. And cried. Joel had faced his demon this day and now had his angel with him. I waited til they drove away. I nodded to Pete, then drove away as well. Will I have an angel waiting back at the hotel? ****** Yes my baby will be there... Comments & questions to: ref_sport@yahoo.com