Softball

Keep Watch on Baserunners Abandoning Their Base

Webster’s defines abandonment as “to leave or forsake completely; to give up possession or control of or to give up, discontinue or withdraw from.”...

Obstruction Deduction

Umpires are tasked with making thousands of split-second decisions over the course of their careers. Some of those calls are obvious, while others aren’t...

Keep it between us

Some unseen things that go on before, during and after a softball game would really surprise the casual or even rabid fan. First is the...

A Quarrelling Quandary

"B lue, where was that?” If you have not heard this question at least a hundred times, you’re probably still in your first year as an...

Timed Properly, Appeal Plays Result in an Out

Why should umpires like appeal plays? Because we can get an out if appealed properly. An appeal play is a play or rule violation...

Great Position – Great Look – Great Call

Great Position, Great Look, Great Call A lthough most umpires would prefer working in crews of three or four, the two-umpire system, if used properly, actually...

Rules Take Many Arguments Out of the Game

There’s a nationwide shortage of officials. It’s gotten harder in all sports to get and keep officials, and softball is no exception. Criticism from...

The Difference Between Preventive Umpiring and Coaching

T here tends to be a debate among umpires regarding what should and should not be brought to the attention of coaches when it comes...

Going Out in Style?

More than half of the time while working the bases in fast pitch, you’ll be setting up in position A down the right-field foul...

Step On the Field and Handle Your Business Like a Boss

A fellow brother in blue, who passed away much too soon, had a mantra he used both in life and on the field. That mantra...

A Mathematical Dive Into the Strike Zone

The softball strike zone has not changed for a long time; it is still the zone explicitly described in the rules for each softball code. There are slight...

Handling Tough Situations on Difficult Pitches

One of the toughest jobs for a softball umpire is ruling on inside pitches. There is a lot happening at once and there are a lot of moving...

Preventing Umpire Interference

The umpiring crew must be sure the playing field and other conditions are safe to start the game and all conditions remain safe throughout...

Atypical Interference is More Than Just Runners

There have been many articles written about interference, but most predominantly cover runner interference. The other acts of interference that may be perpetrated by the offensive team are team personnel...

Slap-Hitters and Bunters Force You To Think Outside The Box

With first base only 60 feet away from home plate in softball compared to 90 in baseball, the left-handed slap hit is a major...

4 Habits Softball Umpires Must Have

If you took a poll of coaches and players and asked them to name the skills and habits that are important for an umpire...

Softball Leaders Give Advice on Making the Most of Your Camp Experience

In 2020, many umpires didn’t have the chance to hone their skills and work on new ones developed in the offseason. As a new...

Don’t Take A Pass On Interference Calls

How often have you heard the following called out during your softball officiating career: “Break up the double play,” or “Blue, she’s got to slide!” As an umpire,...

Like a Boss

A fellow brother in blue, who passed away much too soon, had a mantra he used both in life and on the field. That mantra...

Bunt, Slap and Checked-Swing Quandaries

The photo above provides an interesting conundrum for umpires. While it is just a snapshot, it leads to some intriguing questions and forces us to get into the...