The Rattler (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Page: 16 of 16
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"Anywhere you go, you're approach of altering his officiating third party that's not biased
said. "The bases were loaded with
enlarged the strike zone so he
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—
PHOTO BY CYNTHIA SIAS
- STEPHANIE T. SOSA
Umpires judge the game situation in order to help determine their calls.
efe-
The Rattler
Hot Seat
towards either one of the teams to
help officiate," sophomore pitcher
Dave Koszuta said. "It'd be diffi-
cult to play without them because
has seen his fair share of overzeal-
ous fans. "I've been in some tough
stadiums where fans are pretty
The St. Mary's University
Rattlers started their season off
strong by dominating A&M
Kingsville, sweeping them in
For the love of the game: umpires behind the plate
An in-depth look at umpires and their place in the game of baseball.
Featuring
Laura Boutwell
By CHAD PETERS
STAFF WRITER
"Some fans can be kind of
harsh but it's just part of the job.
.It's alright as long as it's in good
fun," Hill said. "It's what they
applied for - it's the job they get."
Johnson is pleased to have the
responsibilities the job brings.
"I really didn't think I had the
mentality to be an umpire for the
simple reason there's really a dif-
ference as a former player and
coach," Johnson said. "Once you
start officiating, you really start
seeing the other side of baseball.
It's been very rewarding for the
simple reason that I've been able
to meet a lot of beautiful people in
this game. It's not about the
money, it's because I still like the
game. Once I feel like I can't do
the job anymore, well, then I'm
going to give it up."
Until that time, he'll just
remain happy calling balls and
strikes in obscurity behind home
plate.
PHOTO BY TOMMY DEIBEL
Rattlers bring in another run Sunday in their sweep of the Javelinas.
sporting world without such arbi-
trators to manage the games.
Who would call holding in
football? Who would differentiate
between balls and strikes in base-
ball? Who would call a shooting
foul in basketball?
Such an atmosphere would be
disastrous.
"It's definitely good to have a
2
view and the other team is going
to have the opposite view on a
safe or out call or something like
that."
Umpires have to make split-
second decisions on whether or
not a 90 mile-per-hour fastball
barely clipped the outer edge of
the plate. Unlike fans and com-
mentators, they don't have the
advantage of instant replay.
By STEPHANIE T. SOSA
SPORTS EDITOR
February 25, 2004
•mmmmmm
r-.....
Rattler baseball slides into new season
sc
I ■
L__________________
a full count and the umpire one team is going to have one
two runs throughout the entire
game. One run came in the top of
the fourth when Mike Aguirre
would score off of a Rattler error.
In the bottom of the seventh,
Javelina Jorge Pena grounded a
double and brought in Kyle A.
• ■ . A — •'.....
Finally, the Javelinas stopped
the Rattler's torment as they got
the third out off of Russel Hodges
grounder to second. However,
even with five more innings
remaining, A&M was unable to
get close to the Rattlers second
inning explosion?
A&M was only able to score
All but hidden in obscurity,
shielded by their protective masks
and blue uniforms, baseball
umpires are relatively overlooked
most of the time.
That is, until they blow a call.
bring in Seideman, Hill and John
Alvarez. The Rattlers took no
more than two at bats, in order to
bring in another run. Jared
Natho's single brought in Ullman
and advanced Camacho to sec-
ond.
Thompson.
After the game, the Rattlers
talked about their weekend
against Kingsville and their team
this season.
Freshman Jason Davila said,
Sports
The Rattler
added. "Hopefully, later on down
I the road all this experience will
2 pay off."
Since the victory against Texas
A&M Kingsville, the Rattlers had
the chance to get revenge against
another competitor, Tarleton
Se 9 ■ - w
H-hmn,
T
Davila assisted his team by
adding one run to the Rattler
score in the second inning of play.
"I don't think this weekend is
going to reflect how we do in the
future," first baseman David
Morales, junior, said. "But I think
it is helping us understand each
[ other better and play together as a
group."
"We've had a lot of tough
games and a lot of young guys
have stepped up," Morales
"We got through the games with couple too many errors each game
our defense. We are not hitting too but other than that we are doing
well but we're still winning." pretty good."
p-- State. The last time St. Mary's and
5 e Tarleton met, the Rattlers fell 4-8.
uation a lot of times," Johnson
said. "A lot of guys come in and
they officiate through a book.
They've learned the game
through a book. It helps but they
don't have that instinct for know-
ing what to do in certain situa-
tions."
Sophomore shortstop Ryan
Hill agrees with Johnson's
three games. The Rattlers took
their final win over the Javelinas
13-2, on Feb. 14.
The Rattlers faced a double
header on Sunday, due ’ to bad
weather earlier that weekend. The
first run of the game came when ■
the Rattlers scored off an error by
the Javelinas in the bottom of the
first, thanks to an attempted steal E
by Rattler shortstop Ryan Hill. |
The second inning belonged to
the Rattlers as they advanced
their lead to 11-0. The first run K
. came when designated hitter Ian
Grigar grounded a double and
brought in Ray Camacho and Tate H
Seidman. The run not only hurt
A&M, but also started an ava-
lanche of runs that would prove
too much for the Javelinas to stop.
A&M pitcher Casey Owens
would allow four runs before
being pulled. Right-handed pitch-
er John Hirschfield would replace
Owens at the mound. However,
the change would not give A&M
the turnaround they hoped for.
Rick Ullman's double would
This time the Rattlers wonl8-4,
increasing their record this season
to 8-2. However, even with the
impressive record, sophomore
John Alvarez said that they are
not doing as well as they could.
"We are a young team and we
are all returning players, Alvarez
said. "We have not been hitting to
our capability and our defense is
not up to par. We are making a
going to find some rabid fans," when the game is on the line.
Lawrence Johnson said, a baseball "We played Texas A&M-
umpire for nearly 17 years who Kingsville last weekend," Hill
Where are you from?
"New Braunfels, Texas."
Describe yourself.
"Joyful, live life with a passion,
and determined."
What's the best thing about
playing soccer at StMU?
"Being close to home because my
parents have helped me get to
where I am today and they have to
see me play. They are my number
one fans."
What's the worst thing about
playing soccer at StMU?
"I wish we had lights so we could
play at night."
What is your major?
"Exercise and Sports Science."
What career do you want to
pursue?
"Eventually, I want to become a
coach and teach health. Or in
some high schools, they have Bible
study courses and I'd like to teach
those."
You played soccer and basket-
ball in college. Tell us about
those experiences.
"I’ve always loved basketball and
felt that I had a better opportunity
to play soccer. I decided on St.
Mary's because I could play soccer
and watch basketball. Then, I
talked to the coach and walked on
the team."
How did playing both sports
affect your life?
"It kept me really busy. I learned
how important ownership of
yourself is."
What has been your biggest
challenge in college?
"My walk with God and staying
w true to who I am."
What's your favorite movie?
"Life is Beautiful."
What's your favorite book?
"Ultimately, the Bible, but that's
a given."
What's your favorite song?
"My boyfriend writes songs for
me and that's the best because it
comes from the heart of someone I
love."
Tell me about your family.
"I have two older brothers and my
mom and dad."
Who is your favorite teacher
at StMU?
"Ms. Harper taught my
Advanced Composition and the
papers she assigned really made
you write from the heart and made
you think about issues in the
world."
What will you miss most
about St. Mary's after you
graduate in May?
"Being part of a team."
What advice would you give
to a rookie wanting to play
sports at St. Mary's
University?
"I would tell them to make sure
you have a good balance of sports,
school, friends and family and
don’t put everything in sports
because that can be taken away
from you. So, don't let anything
override the other."
hardcore, but you've got to block wouldn't walk in the winning
that out mentally." . run. I think that should happen.
With such pressure comes a Nobody wants to see a game end
great deal of responsibility for on a walk."
umpires and officials in any other Every umpire hears criticism -
sport for that matter. Proper train- from fans, players and coaches
ing and preparation is essential to alike. With every close Call comes
uphold the integrity of the game. jeering from the stands and shout-
Johnson, 57, a former coach ing from the dugout.
and semi-professional player, reg- "Fans have the right to scream,
ularly officiates Rattler baseball just as long as they keep every-
games. A deep understanding and thing in perspective," Johnson
love for the game drives his pas- said.
sion to remain a part of baseball Like the fans, players and
despite his playing days being coaches can let their emotions get
over. the best of them at times.
"You get your adrenaline flow- Generally speaking, they realize
ing because you want to be at there will be close calls and the
your best and give guys a quality officials are calling the game as
game," Johnson said. "Not only they see it.
that, but you want to respect the "When I coach this team, I
game itself. When you put on this know I'm going to make a lot of
uniform, your main objective is to mistakes and I know the umpires
satisfy the coaches and the players are going to come out and make
by calling a good game." some mistakes too," Coach
A big part of officiating is han- Charlie Migl said. "If they're out
dling the different situations the there hustling and they're doing
game presents. the best they can, I can live with
"The game is not all about fair bad calls."
or foul, or out or safe, or strike or Considering all the criticism
ball. You've got to look at your sit- officials receive, imagine the
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St. Mary's University (San Antonio, Tex.). The Rattler (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 25, 2004, newspaper, February 25, 2004; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1518898/m1/16/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting St. Mary's University Louis J. Blume Library.