Post by sader1970 on May 6, 2024 6:49:16 GMT -5
As a former All-Star Little League shortstop I can almost relate to this ( 
):
But to share my biggest embarrassment at shortstop (please remember I was probably 11-12 years old but should have known better), we had an announcer who was probably only about 15 years old at the PA. He announces before the play that there is a runner on first. For some, stupid reason, I lost my focus and didn't bother to look or remember that, in fact, there was no runner on first. I get an easy grounder that I field cleanly and my second baseman is running towards the ball and me but in my mind he was going to cover second for a double play and I lob the ball to him to start a double play. He catches my throw and desperately throws to first and the batter easily beats his throw. Sort of like Tinker to Evers to Chance without the resulting double play (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball%27s_Sad_Lexicon) or even a put out.
I'm confused as to why we haven't at least picked off the lead runner until I hear the same announcer kid say "Error on the shortstop" - me! At that point I look in vain to see where the "lead runner" is only to realize that there never was a runner on first. Mental foul up. My second baseman says "why did you throw to me?" I sheepishly tell him I thought we were going for a DP.
Now, one last LL story. A classic in my family. When I was 12, I was a halfway decent batter and while only average in size, I had what my father called Hank Aaron quick wrists and could hit home runs better than most. My father (HC '42) was the most honest person I have ever known, bar none. On our "major league" field, it was chain link. Over past left field was a "Minor League" field with a snow fence (vertical wooden slates, perhaps each slat about 2" wide). Between the 2 fields was perhaps 15' path between the two. Made for a bit of an optical illusion under the right circumstances.
Most of my family is seated in the bleachers on the first base side. Crusader Dad is standing and leaning on the right field fence watching the game. I'm up and hit a home run over the left field fence, bounces between the two fields and over the minor league field fence onto that field. I round the bases, get into the dugout where my coach and teammates all are congratulating me. I'm now sitting on the bench and see the umpire talking to my coach. My coach comes over and tells me that I have to go back to second as it has been ruled a ground rule double. I and my teammates are stunned especially because they were sitting in the 3rd base dugout and see the whole thing. (BTW, the left fielder never saw where it went as he backpedaled and in backing up, tripped over his own feet and fell on his back). Coach tells me that "some man" in the outfield told the umpire that the ball bounced over the left field fence.
Have no recollection if we won or lost the game or if I even eventually scored from second.
On our way home in the car, older brother (HC '69) says, "you know who robbed you of that home run? Dad!!!" Dad's response was "well, it looked to me like it bounced over." Me: "where were you?" Him: "At the right field fence." Me" "The ball went over the LEFT FIELD FENCE! I and everyone else knew it was a HOME RUN!" The opposing team never even objected to the home run call. I still have a card for my 50th birthday in which my Dad said "I hope this makes up for robbing you of a home run!" 
So, 1. What other parent would do what my father did? 2. What other umpire would take the word of one guy to reverse a call?
):But to share my biggest embarrassment at shortstop (please remember I was probably 11-12 years old but should have known better), we had an announcer who was probably only about 15 years old at the PA. He announces before the play that there is a runner on first. For some, stupid reason, I lost my focus and didn't bother to look or remember that, in fact, there was no runner on first. I get an easy grounder that I field cleanly and my second baseman is running towards the ball and me but in my mind he was going to cover second for a double play and I lob the ball to him to start a double play. He catches my throw and desperately throws to first and the batter easily beats his throw. Sort of like Tinker to Evers to Chance without the resulting double play (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball%27s_Sad_Lexicon) or even a put out.
I'm confused as to why we haven't at least picked off the lead runner until I hear the same announcer kid say "Error on the shortstop" - me! At that point I look in vain to see where the "lead runner" is only to realize that there never was a runner on first. Mental foul up. My second baseman says "why did you throw to me?" I sheepishly tell him I thought we were going for a DP.
Now, one last LL story. A classic in my family. When I was 12, I was a halfway decent batter and while only average in size, I had what my father called Hank Aaron quick wrists and could hit home runs better than most. My father (HC '42) was the most honest person I have ever known, bar none. On our "major league" field, it was chain link. Over past left field was a "Minor League" field with a snow fence (vertical wooden slates, perhaps each slat about 2" wide). Between the 2 fields was perhaps 15' path between the two. Made for a bit of an optical illusion under the right circumstances.
Most of my family is seated in the bleachers on the first base side. Crusader Dad is standing and leaning on the right field fence watching the game. I'm up and hit a home run over the left field fence, bounces between the two fields and over the minor league field fence onto that field. I round the bases, get into the dugout where my coach and teammates all are congratulating me. I'm now sitting on the bench and see the umpire talking to my coach. My coach comes over and tells me that I have to go back to second as it has been ruled a ground rule double. I and my teammates are stunned especially because they were sitting in the 3rd base dugout and see the whole thing. (BTW, the left fielder never saw where it went as he backpedaled and in backing up, tripped over his own feet and fell on his back). Coach tells me that "some man" in the outfield told the umpire that the ball bounced over the left field fence.
Have no recollection if we won or lost the game or if I even eventually scored from second.
On our way home in the car, older brother (HC '69) says, "you know who robbed you of that home run? Dad!!!" Dad's response was "well, it looked to me like it bounced over." Me: "where were you?" Him: "At the right field fence." Me" "The ball went over the LEFT FIELD FENCE! I and everyone else knew it was a HOME RUN!" The opposing team never even objected to the home run call. I still have a card for my 50th birthday in which my Dad said "I hope this makes up for robbing you of a home run!"
So, 1. What other parent would do what my father did? 2. What other umpire would take the word of one guy to reverse a call?
