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Important Medical Information for Umpires — Part II
New UD/LMDM
By John Muller
September 8th, 2010

I went back to see my doctor for a checkup the other day, and the prognosis is pretty promising. The medication seems to be working, by golly, and the doctor didn't detect any serious side effects. And, I still haven't been ejected; after some of the calls I saw this past month, that's pretty remarkable.

Anyway, the person who had the appointment after mine had cancelled, so my doctor was nice enough to spend a few minutes explaining that UD thing he mentioned at the end of my previous visit. Some of the things I see at games make a lot more sense to me now.

Note by Dr. Michael Byron, Ph.D., Notre Dame: "Lagomorphic Desmegolomania (LMDM) derives from Greek, not Latin." The point of Dr. Byron's comment will become clear when you click the title and read the article inside.

Batter's Interference
Making the call
By Garth Benham
September 7th, 2010

We've all seen the look. Like a dear caught in the headlights, the umpire is staring at no one in particular although both the batter and catcher are close by. You can almost hear his brain whirling, the questions flying around his head: "What did I see? Did he move? Did it affect the play? Where IS the play? Good Lord, why me?" What happened here? Suddenly a coach screams: "That's batter's interference!!!"

Is it?

Go inside to see what Garth discovered about this oft-discussed infraction.

Two Things NOT to Do Behind the Plate
By Carl Childress
September 6th, 2010

There are lots of things you can do wrong at a baseball game. Right?

You're U1 in Position A, and you turn too soon to cover a steal of second. Bingo: nailed in the back of the head by the catcher's throw.

You're the UIC. You remove your mask too soon on a foul popup and get hit by the catcher's mask.

You're the UIC, and you look up to locate a foul, followed by the catcher locating YOU as he's running for the catch. That will be followed by your locating the ground.

Or maybe you're anywhere on the field and you forgot your Under Armour. That's particularly hazardous in deep South Texas.

Inside you will locate two more mistakes: One is caused by laziness; the other, by pride.

Click the title to get started.

Slide, Kelly, Slide — Part I
By Carl Childress
August 30th, 2010

Read this article first!

In my youth, players all knew about "Slide Kelly Slide" (no commas). His real name was Mike Kelly. He died of pneumonia in 1894 at the age of 36, so I didn't see him play in spite of what you might think. He "invented" the hook slide and the practice of catchers backing up first base. For more fascinating details, google "slide kelly slide" (no commas).

But I know this: Even without Google or Yahoo or Bing, sliding ain't what it used to be.

Click the title to see why. 

Slide, Kelly, Slide — Part II
By Carl Childress
August 30th, 2010

Read this article second!

Out of deference to those who can't sit and read too long before a monitor (of which I am one), I've separated the answers from the questions. That is because around the office we decided if both the Q's and the A's were in the same piece, the reader wouldn't bother to take a rest.

Now, I hope you've walked around to think about your answers. If you care to argue about "my" answers, email me: carlchildress@officiating.com.

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