southsider2k5 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 The graphics in the article are great. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405...eTabs%3Darticle By JARED DIAMOND The manual for professional baseball umpires explains how to handle just about every on-field situation. From the backwoods of rookie ball to the grandeur of the big leagues, there is little room for creativity from these men in blue, who are largely invisible. But a few times during each game, when the third strike whizzes past the hitter and pops the catcher's glove, the spotlight shines on the umpire standing behind home plate. For that brief moment, an ump can take center stage and, in some cases, exhibit true artistry. An analysis of all 68 full-time Major League umpires' strike-three calls reveals 68 unique styles, running the gamut from Gary Darling's subtle fist pump to Tom Hallion's violent, Mike Tyson-esque punchout. Though nothing in the guidebook requires umpires to devise elaborate gestures, the called strike three injects a splash of color into the sport. "It's kind of like a pitcher's signature pitch," said New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey. "The strike-three call has always been the one thing the umpire can make his own." As time goes by, umpires refine their strike-three calls, adapting and tweaking their signals even after they reach the majors. Wally Bell, a big-league ump since 1993, seems to change his strike-three call from game to game, and sometimes from inning to inning. Larry Barnett, who umped in the American League for three decades, said he went through "10 or 15 different ones" before settling on "a mechanic," as they call the move, that he felt comfortable with toward the end of his career. Among the 68 current umpires, 59 (86.8%) typically employ one of two straightforward approaches for calling strike three, punching either straight ahead toward the pitcher or out toward the side. But within that framework, each ump adds his own touches. As a result, perceptive fans can identify the umpire working the plate by his strike-three call. (Umpires usually let swinging strikeouts speak for themselves.) Striiiiiiike 3! How major-league umpires signal a called strike three. View Interactive For instance, Dan Iassogna (a middle-puncher) shifts his weight far into the left-hand batter's box when making his call—a move that would probably go over well on "Dancing with the Stars." Fellow middle-puncher Tim Tschida kicks his left leg into the air on strike three like Jackie Chan in the movies, while side-puncher Brian Runge swings his right arm high over his head before punching across his body. Even those calls look mundane compared with the remaining nine umpires' mechanics. They defy any attempt at categorization. Bob Davidson's signal resembles a disco move, as he starts his call by pointing his finger toward the sky like John Travolta did in "Saturday Night Fever." Mr. Hallion became a YouTube sensation last October, when his emphatic called strike three for the final out of the 2010 National League championship series went viral. (Mr. Hallion makes an explosive 135-degree twist, turning his back to the right-handed batter's box on his punchout.) "Every time I see Tom I tell him, 'I will not have you go 'Hiii-Yahhhhhh' on me tonight, that's my goal," said San Diego Padres infielder Orlando Hudson, imitating the motion as he spoke. "He's got the best strike-three call in the game." Before any of that, prospective umps must learn the fundamentals, prompting umpiring schools to ban students from performing complex strike-three calls. Jim Evans, a former big-league ump who now runs one of the two MLB-sanctioned umpiring academies, said he teaches a "simple, robotic mechanic," resembling knocking on the door. By the time umps reach the midlevel minor leagues, though, their supervisors and trainers take the reins off and encourage them to start developing more intricate calls. Justin Klemm, the executive director of the Professional Baseball Umpire Corp., the entity responsible for training and evaluating umps for pro baseball, said he rehearsed his motion before a mirror to see what looked right. Triple-A umpire Shaun Francis said young umps, after the games, ask their colleagues on the bases to critique their mechanics, hoping to earn a coveted promotion to the big leagues. Umpires can earn between about $90,000 and $300,000 a year. [uMPIRE-AHED] "If at Triple-A you still have a rudimentary strike-three mechanic, you're not going to stand out," Mr. Francis said. On the other hand, umpires with dramatic strike-three calls constantly tread the murky water between showmanship and ridicule. Or, as big-league umpire Jeff Nelson put it, "There's a fine line between good taste and Leslie Nielsen," a reference to the late movie actor's turn as an overly exuberant umpire in "The Naked Gun." Players don't take too kindly to umpires showing them up and don't always need an excuse to berate the man responsible for lowering their batting averages. "The thing about it is as a player you're emotionally invested in the game, but as an umpire you shouldn't be," Mr. Dickey said. "I can certainly see how outlandish strike-three calls could be misconstrued." Nevertheless, Mr. Evans, the teacher, said players usually enjoy the strike-three calls, recognizing their place in the fabric of the game. Though players may not appreciate the histrionics as they trudge back to the dugout after striking out, they know it serves a purpose. "You can't feel bad because when we make diving plays we do a little flash, when we hit a home run we do a little flash," Mr. Hudson said. "The umpires, they're in the game, too. They have to do a little something, too. That's their one moment." Of course, that moment quickly turns sour if the players don't trust the umpire's judgment to call balls and strikes. That's why Mr. Evans has one crucial piece of advice for all young umps before acting too crazy: If you plan to use a wild strike-three mechanic, you better make sure you get the call right—at least most of the time. "If a player thinks you missed a strike three, and you're putting on a big strike-three mechanic," he said, "then you're just a clown." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaus kinski Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 And Dunn has seen them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Mine was always right arm out to signal the strike then close the fist like I am grabbing something, pull it back and at the same time punch with my left hand towards that side. I rock back when I punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 03:12 PM) I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 12:28 PM) Mine was always right arm out to signal the strike then close the fist like I am grabbing something, pull it back and at the same time punch with my left hand towards that side. I rock back when I punch. Is that your strike 3 call or description of Kate's dance to your left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanne Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 03:12 PM) I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. LMAO...greatest post I've read anywhere all week!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 QUOTE (Wanne @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 03:16 PM) LMAO...greatest post I've read anywhere all week!!!! It really was a great one. Funniest post I've seen in some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 03:12 PM) I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 12:28 PM) Mine was always right arm out to signal the strike then close the fist like I am grabbing something, pull it back and at the same time punch with my left hand towards that side. I rock back when I punch. Weird, that sounds like my primary right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I turn to my right and with my left arm, I punch forward and let my right hand quickly punch to the right as the left retreats. And I do overemphasize the call at times but nobody really cares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewashed in '05 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 One of the many things I loved about baseball as a kid was a loud umpire. Even just called strikes and even more on called 3rd strikes. Still enjoy hearing and seeing it in the game today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shlammajamma Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Did this thread remind anybody else of the naked gun baseball scene? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanne Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 02:12 PM) I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. I've literally laughed about this for 2 days... It's so classic IMO I had to post it on my facebook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 03:12 PM) I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. Outstanding. Very few make me literally laugh out load from my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 03:12 PM) I umpired almost every game when my son was playing Pinto ball (umpire two games and you get your parent fee back...but I was a sucker and umped them all). I liked to be all dramatic. On strike three, I'd point at the kid with my left hand and say "You're outta here, you little bastard!" while I made a punching move with my right hand. Usually the kid would start crying, and I'd toss him and tell him to sit down and think about being a man. The coach would then come out and start yelling. So I'd toss him, too. Oh god sir, you, are the man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.