umpire

Stories 21 - 31 | << Prev 

Time to Ditch Umps? (Or at Least Some of Them)

Machines might be able to do this job better

(Newser) - Joe Mauer smashed a ball to left field in the 11th inning Friday, and it landed fair, a foot inside the line. But it won’t show up on any box score, because umpire Phil Cuzzi, standing just 10 feet away, ruled it foul. It’s just one of several...

10 Most Ejected Skippers
 10 Most Ejected Skippers 

10 Most Ejected Skippers

These managers are an ump's worst nightmare

(Newser) - Among baseball managers, 10 have perfected the theatrics of fighting umps. Forbes looks at the skippers ejected most since 2004:
  1. Bobby Cox, Atlanta Braves: Also the all-time ejection king, Cox (34 ejections since '04) was once booted over stadium lights.
  2. Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins: Fiery former player has 32 ejections.
...

Iowa Ump Tosses Crowd From Ballgame
Iowa Ump Tosses Crowd From Ballgame

Iowa Ump Tosses Crowd From Ballgame

Police called to HS game after fans turn unruly

(Newser) - A rowdy bunch of Iowa baseball fans weren't just taken out to the ball game, they were ejected from it, the Burlington Hawk Eye says. After a controversial play at a high school game in West Burlington, coaches from both teams argued with umpire Don Briggs, who gave the crowd...

America Could Use More Umpires: Will

(Newser) - Umpiring is often a thankless job. In Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, they’re typically beheaded as soon as they make a controversial call, and modern fans routinely abuse them and question their eyesight. “But their integrity is unquestioned,” writes George Will...

Livid Softball Dad Jailed for Tirade

Ill. man also spat at deputy, earning battery charge

(Newser) - Parents, take note: An Illinois man who exploded at an umpire during his daughter's softball game was sentenced to five days in jail and anger-management classes for battery and assault, the Chicago Tribune reports. Michael Beck, 47, also spat sunflower seeds on the deputy who responded to a worried...

Brutal Hits May Force NFL Ump Padding

Officials closest to the action suffer painful collisions with players

(Newser) - Imagine side-stepping Mack trucks once a week while reading their license plates and risking brutal, career-ending collisions. Now you know how an NFL umpire feels, the Los Angeles Times reports. On-field injuries may be uncommon, but they do occur, and the NFL is contemplating protective gear. “I know I...

Rays Score First Replay Reversal

Fan interference call dropped on homer; Rays topple Twins 11-1

(Newser) - A Twins fan's near-catch caused MLB's first-ever instant replay reversal yesterday, the St Petersburg Times reports. Carlos Pena's 3-run homer was initially ruled a double for fan interference after the first-base umpire thought he saw a fan touch the ball while it was in play. The replay showed that contact...

Pitcher Gains Infamy After Hitting Ump

Did high school hurler miss on purpose in championship game?

(Newser) - If not for one pitch, Georgia’s high school championship game would be a topic of conversation in only a few places. Instead, the one-sided May 31 contest is getting nationwide buzz. With the cameras rolling, Stephens County High pitcher Cody Martin made it a contest to remember: Martin zinged...

Upon Further Review, MLB Weighs Instant Replay

First step would be test of system in Fall League

(Newser) - Baseball may begin experimenting with instant replay, starting in the Arizona Fall League and possibly second-guessing big-league umps as soon as next season, a source tells ESPN. But a league official told the AP, "We've made no final decision as to where exactly we're going to try it out,...

The Ump's Not Blind (But He May Be Racist)

Baseball umpires treat same-race pitchers more kindly

(Newser) - Major League Baseball umpires call more strikes when they share a race with the pitcher, and they call more balls when they don’t. The disturbing trend mostly benefits white players, since 71% of pitchers and 87% of umps are Caucasian, Time reports. Documented race-based misjudgments only occur in 1%...

Umps Call Foul on Background Check Plan

MLB talks break off over Donaghy-inspired 'integrity' probes

(Newser) - Major League Baseball is planning a series of detailed background checks for all umpires, spurred by the NBA's referee gambling scandal. But the umps aren't pleased: Discussions with their new union drifted foul when the league balked at their compromise request to add a 7th ump to postseason games.

Stories 21 - 31 | << Prev