o recap: When we left my day from hell, I had finished the busiest game ever umpired by a third-base umpire, a game that included four visits from coaches. Four! My night game started where that one left off. After a few bangers, things settled down. I thought maybe — finally — I could coast home.
I was wrong.
Play by play ... continued
Just to remind you how long this day was, we will pick up our play by play at situation #6.
6. Bottom of the fifth, Alberta at the plate. With no runners, the batter hits one to the gap between first and second. The first baseman makes a great play to get to the ball. The pitcher hustles over to cover, and I have moved — properly in a three-man crew — to foul territory.
As the ball gets there, so do the pitcher and the runner. I clearly see the runner beat the throw. "SAFE"! Here comes my favorite coach. This time, he chews on me — and chews. And chews! He simply cannot believe I called that runner safe. I have to reward a great play like his defense made. Yada, yada.
By that point, I am losing my energy to argue with this guy, so I let him rant. After about 30 seconds he stops and slinks away. He gives me a few parting shots, and life goes on, as it always does on the baseball diamond.
Continued...
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