Careful of what you might say
Sports Scene Ross Wood Sports Editor

Being one of those folks who always harp that people should get out and do something to help the community, I decided to heed my own words and…will now put myself in a position to be called a…wait for it…bonehead. I am going to umpire city league games.

You have to go old school to understand that statement. One of my lower points, to be sure. The column where I called a Dixie Youth umpire a bonehead will go down as one of the stupidest things I ever wrote. I will not call the name again, even though we now have a laugh about it each time we see each other. I halfway expect to see that person at least once during the season, just so they can return the favor.

There are no full-time umpires. The people who do this, do so after working a full day at a regular job and then have the tenacity to go out and take ridicule from the masses who really do not know the rules of the game they are watching.

I truly believe that someone in a crowd, at any sport, could shout something at a crucial point in a game and the masses would join, in force, no matter what.

Anyway back to the original point. I hope to take the few years experience of watching ball, both locally and statewide, and do as good a job of calling games as possible.

There will be mistakes. There always are, but nothing is ever done wrong intentionally.

As a younger person I did not see things that way. The age has brought an understanding that it is an effort for the players.

Of the 300-plus players in Grove Hill, only three percent will play college sports. And less than one percent has a chance of making it all the way to the professional ranks.

Now there are some parents, I may be the worst one in the coming years, who feel that their young slugger or hurler is ready for the big time right now. Wonderful thoughts...great thoughts for a parent, but they are unrealistic.

But we can use the experience of the city leagues to prepare the players to make the advancement through the ranks so that hopefully when they get to the high school level, that coach will have someone who does not have to be re-taught.

It will be the same for myself and other umpires who are making their first foray into this business.

You learn as you go and just hope that you make the right call every time.

I hope all of the players and coaches have a wonderful season as opening day hits this Saturday. Then they can enjoy the next two months of playing the game that is the great equalizer. The one game where you do not have to be a great athlete to be great.

See you at the park on Saturday. That's all folks....

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