ASA National Championship in

Montgomery, Alabama 2006 

Written by Peter Fetherston

There were three umpires representing District 8 at the Class D Slow Pitch National Championship on Montgomery, Alabama: Jim Borek, Aldo Balducci, and myself. We flew out of Islip Macarthur Airport.

On Thursday morning, August 31st, we went to the Pete Peterson Lodge for the Tournament breakfast and meeting with teams, tournament officials, and the umpires.  From there we (umpires) proceeded to Lagoon Park. Bob Savoie, our UIC assigned us our partners for the tournament, my partner was Jack Eppley from Anchorage, Alaska.   

Bob then reviewed a couple of items we would encounter during the tournament that we did not normally see, such as stealing and the home run limit.  This tournament allowed no homeruns and any ball hit over the fence would result in an out.  Bob also mentioned that ASA is considering changing this rule next year so that any ball hit over the fence will end the inning. The umpires were warned about the potential for oppressive heat and cautioned to make sure they were sufficiently hydrated before we stepped on the fields; additionally we were told that we would be allowed to bring water onto the field with us. We received our assignments for that evening and then went back to our hotel to change for the opening ceremony and umpire picture.

The opening ceremony was quite impressive; there were 108 teams in the draw and 36 umpires to officiate the games.

I was assigned to the Fain Park complex on Thursday night and worked one game. Our assignments for Friday were posted in the umpire changing room.  There was plenty of food and liquids available for the umpires.

On Friday, September 1^st, I was assigned to umpire at the Lagoon Park complex and worked three games.  We would work a game on and then a game off.  The tournament officials set it up that there was a three hour break between the morning session and the evening session.  This allowed us time to return to our hotel for a shower.  This was a great idea. For the evening session, I was assigned to the Fain Park complex and worked two games.

On Saturday, September 2^nd, I was assigned to the Lagoon Park complex and worked two games.  For the evening sessions, I went to Fain Park and worked three games. As I was preparing to go out and work a game behind the plate the Assistant UIC, Mike Bozeman came upstairs and said he needed a base umpire quickly.  The base umpire scheduled to work this game knew several members of the team playing. I volunteered and switched partners. My new partner was Charlie Bloom from Tallahassee, Florida. An interesting note from the evening session: I was working the plate when there was a throw back to second base which clearly got the runner, Unfortunately my partner was looking at first base so I signaled out, my partner then turned towards second and signaled safe.  The coach of the team affected by this call came out to discuss the all.  I told him that I would first discuss the call with my partner and then speak with him. My partner admitted that he did not see the play at second and that we should go with my call.  The coach was not happy but discussed the situation in a calm and pleasant manner.  I finally told him that I was impressed with how much of a gentleman he was but the call would stand.  An inning later his catcher told me they agreed with the call but were angry that the base umpire did not make it.   I worked 5 games on Saturday. 

On Sunday there were only 12 games scheduled and Bob Savoie told Jim Borek privately that any umpire was not assigned on Sunday and also had not been send home would be working on Monday.  Therefore I was somewhat elated to see that I was not assigned to work on Sunday.  Nevertheless we went down to Lagoon Park to watch the games.  Fain Park was no longer being used. At noon on Sunday the assignments for the two, possible three games on Monday were posted.  I was assigned to work the loser’s bracket final, while Aldo and Jim were assigned the finals and the if game.  After the last game on Sunday everyone went to the golf/tennis clubhouse adjacent to Lagoon Park for the umpire’s party.  There we were given our certificates, flipping coin, and National Championship patch.  The City of Montgomery also gave us two hats and a tournament tee shirt.

 On Monday I worked as the third base umpire in a four man system for the loser’s bracket final.  My partner’s were: Plate – Bob Belflower from Dothan, Alabama, First – Edwin Pickering from Austell Georgia, and Danny Hartselle from Jacksonville, Florida at second base. We sat down with both Bob Savoie and Mike Bozeman prior to taking the field and were told that this was the toughest game to umpire since one team would advance to the championship game while the other was going home.  The teams were Carolina Sports Club from Anderson, South Carolina and Easton Properties from Hartselle, Alabama.  Easton won the game 10 to 3 and then went on the also win both the Final and If games to become the 2006 Class D Champions.

This was an excellent, well run tournament. I would go back to Montgomery in a heartbeat.  Thank You for the opportunity to work my third national. 

Saturday morning, Sept 2^nd, was the start of play at the Wilson Morgan Sports Complex. The fields were immaculate. I actually walked out onto the outfield because I wasn’t sure if it was artificial grass or turf. It turned out to be turf. 

We used the 3 man system for every game. Only 2 fields would be used so we worked 1 game on then 1 off. I worked 3 games on Saturday, 1^st game at 3^rd, 2^nd at 1^st and the 3^rd behind the plate. All games went perfectly with minor “tweaks” of our 3 man mechanics by the UIC at the post game debriefings. I liked the way our UIC handled the debriefings. He first asked us, as a crew, ‘what were 3 things we thought we could improve on’. Then what 3 things did we do well. That made us think about our performance 1^st and then he gave us his observations. The UIC was always VERY positive and open to anything we had to say.

Sunday morning there was 2 games at 9AM which I was not involved in. I was assigned to do the semi final game at 11AM on 1^st base. After doing this game I went back to the umpire’s room to change and come back to the field to watch the Championship game. I didn’t realize it at the time but there was now a possibility of an IF game. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the schedule to see I was assigned the PLATE in the IF game.

The IF game was needed which was now the Championship game for the tournament. I was on the plate, Charles Birch from Midland, Michigan was on 1^st and Ross Martin from Portland, Michigan was on 3^rd. The teams were Mickey’s from Michigan and Granite State Eagles from New Hampshire. The game was proceeding nicely until the bottom of the 4^th when the Eagles catcher / asst coach turned to me after a hit and said he wanted the bat checked because he thought it was an illegal bat. At that time the Eagles were losing 14 to 2. All bats had been inspected pre-game and deemed to be legal. I immediately secured the bat and we, as a crew, inspected the bat again. We determined that it was a LEGAL bat but because this was the Championship game, summoned the UIC to check it also. The game was stopped for approx. 15 minutes while the UIC inspected the bat. He also determined it to be a LEGAL bat and the protest was denied. The game ended in the 5^th, due to the run rule, 14 to 4, with Mickey’s becoming the 2006 “A” Modified champions.

This was an outstanding tournament, although a bit disappointing only because of the lack of teams.

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