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Why no umpires? DEAR EDITOR: I'd like to know why a county with a AAA school system can't make sure official umpires show up for a baseball game. Such was the case in Swainsboro on Friday at the ECI-Swainsboro C-Team baseball game. Come game time, no umpires not even one. There were umpires for the Jr. Varsity game, and the Varsity game, but not the C-Team game. Why couldn't they take one of the two umpires from the Jr. Varsity game? I realize the C-Team game was a non-region game, but don't they deserve the same considerations as the other teams? Luckily, they were able to find a totally "impartial" fan to come to the rescue. I won't call his name, but his son plays for the Tigers C-Team. Finally, after numerous bad calls through seven innings, the game ended with a 7-2 Tiger victory. Imagine that! I have to admit, though, that the Dawgs probably made too many errors in the field to win the game. But, had there been proper officiating, I believe the game would have been a lot closer. You know, I guess I should have accepted the "unofficial" umpire's offer to let me call the game. Yep, in the very first inning, after the first of his numerous bad calls, over a hundred ECI faithful responded negatively to his called strike three. I was one of those fans, and I commented that the ball was up around the batter's neck (which was true, by the way). It was just a fan making a comment, and it wasn't directed at him, or anyone else; it was just a comment. At this point, the "unofficial" umpire looked directly at me, sitting there holding my walking cane, and asked if I wanted to call the game. I told him that if I was able to stand up long enough that I would. You see, I'm disabled and can't stand for very long at a time. "Alright then", he said, "you need to hush."
I was floored, astonished, and needless to say, very embarrassed. Of all the many ECI fans who responded to his bad call, why did he direct his comments to the only one there holding a walking cane? Was it because he knew he could get away with it since I'm disabled? I'd hate to know that he singled me out because of my disability. I hope in the future an effort is made to ensure proper officiating. I'd hate for this to happen to someone else.
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