Little League Umpire - FYI
By Jim Booth
The umpire is expected to know all the rules and judge every call correctly. Spectators expect this no matter what the level of the game being played, Little League or Major League. Major League umpires complete a 6 week training course and then spend 5 years or more working minor league games honing their skills before reaching the Majors. The average Little League umpire has maybe 2 days training and zero years experience. This fact is of no consequence to the Little League fan. They expect perfection from both.
To be successful as a Little League umpire, you need to gain rules knowledge and field experience at a faster rate than expected of a prospective Major League umpire. Plus, you will experience more "strange" plays than the prospective Major League umpire because Little Leaguers don't know how to play the game yet, and will do many more unexpected things than at the professional level.
This already difficult job is made tougher due to the fact that Little League Baseball, Inc. rules and regulation book does not contain the "Casebook of Approved Rulings" that are included in the Official Rules of Baseball. Although the casebook is not printed in the Little League book, the rulings do apply to Little League expect where specific statements are made to the contrary.
I suggest that all Little League umpires obtain a copy of "The Official Rules of Baseball" or "Make the Right Call", published by Major League Baseball. A book titled "The Right Call" is published by Little League Baseball, Inc., and should be obtained also. Having knowledge obtained from these books will greatly improve your ability to manage a game and deal with the situations that frequently occur during a Little League games.
Hopefully in the majority of games that you work, plays that require extensive rules knowledge will not occur. However, when they do, you need to know the rules better that the manager who confronts you and challenges your knowledge of the rules.
Most managers will fail the quiz provided here. You need to pass it with a score of 100%. The quiz should be a simple one for umpires and many arguments can be prevented if you know the answers.
When managers realize you have a solid knowledge of the rules, ugly game situations will diminish. They may still think that you are blind and that your judgement stinks, but if they think you do know the rules, they may not make a scene when you make a ruling.