News and Announcements
State O' Maine Umpire Clinic In Windham
12th Annual STATE O’MAINE Umpires’ Clinic
April 21-22, 2007
Windham High School Windham, Maine
A season starter for Little League Umpires, Coaches, Managers, Parents, and Administrators Rules and Field Mechanics Change is in the wind for the 2007 season. If you’ve been passing up clinics lately . . . now is the time to start attending again. Last year over 100 participants learned and reviewed the basics of the game. First timers and seasoned veterans alike all found information and techniques that benefited their local league experience. If you are concerned that a whole day of rules will just be toooo boring, you haven’t met Jack Leary! Many folks are return participants from prior years. No matter whom you are or what your role is . . . . . Knowing the rules can only make the season better!
Come and listen to . . . . .Come and learn from. . . . . . Come and meet . . . . . . . Jack
Leary Jack comes to us with experience at every level of Little League baseball. He serves the Eastern Region as a trainer, a consultant and an umpire! We have yet to find a level of game that from opening day to World Series that Jack hasn’t umpired.
Ron Leary Ron‘s Little League credits include umpiring in Massachusetts’ District, State, and Eastern Region baseball. He umpired at the 2005 Senior Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine.
2007 Rules Clinics
League Presidents,
If you would like to have our staff put on a rules clinic for your league, please contact Rob Curtis
Bristol Clinic Notes
Managers/coaches may catch infield. This is a change in stance by the east region. Managers/coaches may not warm-up a pitcher at anytime. Any player acting as a catcher must wear a mask with throat guard. This includes catching outfield warm-ups.
If no line-up cards are exchanged, the umpires take control of the game when the plate meeting begins. Umpires MUST enforce all safety rules the moment they step onto the field.
ONLY manager/coaches on a teams roster my be in the dugout or act as a coach. A league official or another teams manager/coach may NOT "fill in" as a coach for another team. If a team only has one manager/coach then two players must coach bases.
An illegal pitch can not be called if no runners are on base. It's simply a no pitch if the pitch is not hit by the batter.
There is no good time to stop a game as an umpire. Stop a game when the game needs to be stopped. If you don't think it will possible to finish the bottom half of an inning don't stop if you still can play. Let the kids play as much baseball as possible.
Leagues should make every effort to supply umpires with proper uniforms.
Umpires must wait 30 min to call a game due to weather, unless it becomes clear that you will not be able to finish the game due to darkness. Next game start time on a multi game day isn't grounds to call a game.
Lighting safety is very important. Leagues should have a lighting safety procedure in the event of lighting in the area.
Lightning Safety
Lightning Safety
Monday served as another reminder of the importance of taking Lighting seriously. Lightning struck a tree in the parking lot at Mansfield Stadium during a lightning delay of the Bangor vs. Orono/Veazie game. The tree was one of several lightning strikes around the stadium.
Please take a few minutes and review the Lightning safety guidelines provided by NOAA.
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/outdoors.htm .
To estimate the distance between you and a lightning flash, use the "Flash to Bang" method: If you observe lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance in miles. Example: If you see lightning and it takes 10 seconds before you hear the thunder, then the lightning is 2 miles away from you (10 divided by 5 = 2 miles).
Get to a safe location if the time between the lightning flash and the rumble of thunder is 30 seconds or less. |
NOAA, National Weather Service |
Disclaimer Credits Glossary |
About Us |
Remember:
Dugouts ARE NOT SAFE!
If you see lightning or hear thunder the game will be suspended for a minim of 30 minutes following the last clap of thunder.
Prior to the start of a game check the weather for possible thunderstorms.
Each league should have a lightning safety procedure in place prior to one being needed.
Visiting Managers, coaches and umpires should talk with the site officials and review any lightning procedures when they arrive at the game site.
Updated weather reports can be found at:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?CityName=Bangor&state=ME&site=CAR
New Tournament Information Site
We've added a new Tournament Information Section to the site. There you will find the updated district tournament brackets, tournament rules reminders and more.
You can rech the site by clicking the link below:
Tournament Information Site
You can also find it in the Assoc./League Sites along with links to other sections of the web site.