Hometown umps: Bellville/Sealy

[XMan]

Word is that Bellville was using home town umpires in their game versus Sealy. Evidently, Sealy knew that these guys lived in Bellville and werent too happy about it. Supposedly, the district minutes state that you are not supposed to use umpires who live in your within your town. Did this ever get resolved or what is the story. Personally, I dont know why Sealy made a big deal of it. Bellville quite regularly uses home town guys to ref/umpire various events. In sub varsity action you can expect to see the same few Bellville residents in umpires gear every game. Why did it become such a big issue now? Everyone knows that Bellville has more talent and more class so why should it matter that the umpire's daughter played for Bellville?

just my take
the X

[Phantom Stang]

Originally posted by XMan
Why did it become such a big issue now? Everyone knows that Bellville has more talent and more class so why should it matter that the umpire's daughter played for Bellville?

just my take
the X
Folks will gripe about anything.:D :D

[3afan]

the UIL has pretty clearcut rules about officials for varsity contests ... districts can add their own rules additions but they can't circumvent the UIL rules. this sounds like a sore loser post. :thumbsup:

[XMan]

This was in softball, i forgot to mention that.

[Adidas410s]

Bellville (nor any other school) would pick their own officials/umpires/etc. The games are assigned by either the TASO chapter that works for their district or the district committee themselves.

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
Bellville (nor any other school) would pick their own officials/umpires/etc. The games are assigned by either the TASO chapter that works for their district or the district committee themselves.
The home town team is responsible for getting umpires.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Emerson1
The home town team is responsible for getting umpires.

and they have to come from TASO as per UIL rules unless the district committee has something else in place.

[Bull's-eye]

Bellville won 9-1, probably didn't matter even if XMan was umpiring. Didn't know so many umpires and officials lived in Bellville? About time we got some good umpires (just kidding Gobbla2001).

[3afan]

Originally posted by Emerson1
The home town team is responsible for getting umpires.

that is true ... but see below


Originally posted by Adidas410s
and they have to come from TASO as per UIL rules unless the district committee has something else in place.

also true

[XMan]

So, did this get resolved or not, thats all I wanted to know. In sub varsity action, schools quite regularly use non-chapter, hometown officials as a cost cutting measure. When they do this, they dont have to pay them as much as chapter officials and dont pay them mileage either. With varsity play, all officials should be scheduled through the chapter. You would think the chapters would have enough sense to not send someone who lives in that town. Unfortunately for all involved it doesnt look like they were that smart this time. Just hoping it doesnt get ugly.

[Bull's-eye]

No matter if the official is from Bellville or any other town, he should be very professional and call a fair game. In fact, I've seen home town officials give the close calls to the visiting team, just to make sure someone wouldn't say he was favoring his home team.

Remember the old Andy Griffith show, Andy had to umpire a game that his son Opie was playing. On a close call at the plate, Andy called Opie out. He didn't want the opposing team to think he was playing favorites toward his son's team. A photograph clearly showed that Opie was safe! (see Phantom Stang's signature picture)

[Iknowalot]

UIL rules do state that the officials are to be assigned by the local TASO chapter. Many districts specify that the opposing coach be given a list of officials to scratch before the season starts and also the names of officials to call their game one week before the game. Then the coaches are supposed to agree on that. I know in football and basketball that is done pretty regular (I've been scratched by a visiting coach in basketball).

In softball, we are probably the worst in enforcing that rule and the many of the softball chapters are the worst in notifying coaches of who is calling, or if there are any changes. (We as softball coaches and officials can only blame ourselves.) I think in due time as our coaches are getting more experience with TASO and UIL and as our sport keeps getting better, you will see more consistency with the selection of officials for softball games. I know the chapter that I use (Austin) uses an internet program, so I know who my officials are in advance, even on road games that use the same chapter. I also know that I can only blame myself for not checking on who was calling the game ahead of time earlier this season and if I would have, there probably should have been much less controversy because of the past dealings I had with that official and when I saw them show up, it changed my attitude before the game even started -- and that is my fault.

I'm not being negative, but stating facts that will improve over time.

[FormerBellvilleBrahma]

Originally posted by XMan
Word is that Bellville was using home town umpires in their game versus Sealy. Evidently, Sealy knew that these guys lived in Bellville and werent too happy about it. Did this ever get resolved or what is the story. Personally, I dont know why Sealy made a big deal of it.

just my take
the X

Havent seen anything on this in the News-paper, matter of fact this is the first I have heard of this.
This sounds like a get back at Bellville post, Because it was brought up in a post that Sealy had ineligibility surface and the UIL was involved. This news was posted for everyone to see in the Sealy paper.
Please keep us up to date on this (WORD IS) news!!

[BTEXDAD]

There are several umpires in the area chapter that are from Bellville. I've seen them umpiring in both Columbus and Sealy, not just in Bellville. They do a good job. I agree with Former Bellville Brahma this seems to be a post to try to "get back" at Bellville.
I do know that in sealy/bellville game April 4, there were a couple of close plays in field that Sealy didn't think went there way, but certainly nothing to make a big deal about.
The home plate umpire was calling a high strike zone and not calling low strike. Sealy's pitcher relies a lot on rise ball while Bellville's that night likes to keep the ball low. Home plate umpire's strike zone definitely favored the sealy pitcher. But sealy didn't get all the calls they wanted in field, so they were upset.

[HPLJ6L]

Most referees are volunteers who take the time to become certified and join a chapter. Of course they do get paid but my point is that if you host a referee training class in your town, you will have referees that live in your town. If you are tired of seeing one team get all the calls, then you have to get some people from your town involved. Bellville and Sealy both have strong little league programs, that's where the refs are coming from.

I used to be a ref hater too, until I accepted the truth.

[XMan]

First off, this is not a payback of some sort. Next yall are missing missing the point entirely. It is irrelevant whether or not any calls were missed or whether or not a high strike or low strike was being called. The point is that no umpire should be calling a game for the town in which they live. Doing so puts all involved: both teams, players, coaches and spectators, in a compromising position and this should be avoided at all costs. That is the point.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by XMan
First off, this is not a payback of some sort. Next yall are missing missing the point entirely. It is irrelevant whether or not any calls were missed or whether or not a high strike or low strike was being called. The point is that no umpire should be calling a game for the town in which they live. Doing so puts all involved: both teams, players, coaches and spectators, in a compromising position and this should be avoided at all costs. That is the point.
from the way this thread reads, it sounds as if the district does not have enough officials from towns NOT named Bellville or Sealy to allow this to happen. I'm not sure what chapter they are using, but it's obviously not one of the bigger ones or this wouldn't be an issue. Long and short, all of the schools/coaches/etc. have agreed to the choices for officiating and fans/parents/etc. must learn to live with it.

[District303aPastPlayer]

my dad did Sinton games for years before i got to HS... then he took some time off... and went back to reffin games...

[BULLRUSH]

Originally posted by XMan
? Everyone knows that Bellville has more talent and more class so why should it matter that the umpire's daughter played for Bellville?

just my take
the X

Why would Bellville complain about it ... They scored more runs. I'm sure that the refs looked good from their dugout.

[whtfbplaya]

Originally posted by XMan
First off, this is not a payback of some sort. Next yall are missing missing the point entirely. It is irrelevant whether or not any calls were missed or whether or not a high strike or low strike was being called. The point is that no umpire should be calling a game for the town in which they live. Doing so puts all involved: both teams, players, coaches and spectators, in a compromising position and this should be avoided at all costs. That is the point.

For Varsity contests, yes.

[scotty]

I wasn't there so I didn't see the game but my question is wasn't the score 2-1 and not 9-1 as posted earlier. I hear from coaches a lot and the only game I heard any umpiring complaining about wasn't in the Sealy-Bellville game but in the Sealy-Columbus game. And I'm referring to softball.