They Call 'em
As They See 'Em is the title of a really interesting and intriguing new baseball book by Bruce Weber of the New York Times.
Weber did a thorough job of discovering what umpiring has been all about. For example, I didn't know that
one of the first things an umpire learns is to pull the face mask off without also pulling the hat off
that there are two umpiring schools
that there is a prescribed- recommended- way for umpires to move around the field in order to cover plays most effectively
that each umpire will develop his or her own set of "mechanics"- how to indicate strike, out, or safe
There is a great deal of modern baseball history in Weber's book that most of us have paid little attention to. Umpires are basically invisible until we don't like their call- and then it can get pretty hairy. There are a number of fascinating stories of close calls, missed calls, and insider information that kept me hooked from the beginning.
I have a hunch that even the most fanatic baseball fan will find a lot of new information in this book. When I went to the Twins-Red Sox game on Monday I found myself with a little better feel for what the umpires do and how they do it. As Weber points out to pay attention to them is actually counter-intuitive but they are an essential part of the game. It actually made for more interest as I watched, although I have to admit I could not pull my attention away from the plays as they were unfolding to watch what the umps were doing.
I guess you have to be trained to do that.
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