FanStory.com - Alexis and Me by Rdfrdmom2

May 8, 2021
Dear Alexis:

This morning you had a softball game at 10 am at your home field in Holland. Your PopPop and I were just a tad late getting to your field because there were three games being held at the ballpark meaning we had to park in the north forty then make our way back to your game.

As I was walking along the third base side of the field, I noticed an adult standing just on the edge of the infield about where a shortstop might play when playing deep. As I rounded the fence behind the home plate area, your coach’s father, Mr. Eisner, informed me that none of the umpires showed up. He went on to say two parents from the Little Creek team were umpiring.

I looked out onto the field and said, “No, that’s not right. That’s my son-in-law, Lexi’s dad, calling balls and strikes.”

“Oh, I didn’t know him,” he said.

“At least it’s the first time we’ve had two umpires on our home field.”

“Well, there is that,” he laughed.

Interestingly enough, I only heard one complaint about the umpires throughout most of the game. It regarded a play at first where your first baseman dropped the ball after tagging the base just ahead of the runner. Both umpires called the batter out. Little Creek’s first base coach wanted to argue with both umpires but your dad did not pay any attention to her. The umpire from Little Creek very calmly explained what she saw and why that constituted a call of out, then she walked out to her position between first and second.

Ironically, the only other controversy took place during your last bat. I got the impression both sides felt the same way about the call.

It was your third at-bat. You smoked the ball during your first-at-bat. As luck would have it, the ball shot right off the bat and bounced right to their shortstop who made a clean pick up and good throw to first, getting you out by a foot. You worked a walk out of the pitcher during your next at-bat. And, then it happened.

One out, runners on second and third, as you approached the batter’s box. First pitch, ball high. Second pitch, ball outside.

“Game over,” shouts your dad, uhm, the home plate umpire.

Roars of “At least let the kid finish her bat before calling the game, ump!” erupted from both sides. Whatever happened during your at-bat was not going to change the outcome of the game, so why not?

You looked at your dad and said, “Hey, bro’ – what was that?”

Your dad just kept walking.

When your mom asked him about it, he said, “This league has a ‘drop-dead’ rule.” (The 'drop-dead' rule means that time is called exactly one hour and forty-five minutes after it starts.)

Alexis, I have attended softball and baseball games for almost sixty-five years, but I have never seen a game called in the middle of someone’s at-bat for any reason other than extreme weather. Once, again, you have provided a first for your nanny, even if you did not mean to.

Love,
Nanny Jan

Author Notes

Time spent with my granddaughter. A special thanks to VMarguarite for the use of Little Leaguer to enhance this work.