Jul 05 2009
New Book About Umpires
One call from an umpire can change the game just as one hit, error, or pitch can change the game. While fans know the players’ names, few can name an umpire unless he blows the call.
Bruce Weber spent time learning how to call balls and strikes for his new book “As They See ‘Em.” He interviewed dozens of professional umpires about their craft, and discovered that umpiring is an eccentric secret society, with its own customs, rituals and colorful vocabulary.
(I can verify some of this. During the late 1970’s, I interviewed the late Ron Luciano at Yankee Stadium for a radio feature. He said I had to put a dollar into an envelope before he would agree to the interview. I still believe to this day that my contribution was part of that crew’s take from probably a number of sources that was used for drinks at the airport, but then I could be very wrong. Luciano was one of baseball’s biggest characters and always joking. By the way, he did a great 20-minute interview.)
Weber also describes what it’s like to work in ballparks where fans, players, managers, coaches, owners and even announcers second-guess their calls.
Listen to a 30-minute podcast on NPR.
