enforcing Pitching rules

Question
Dr. Ambrose,  I am an umpire for the ASA in North
East Ohio. I would like to know why we can't enforce the pitching rules as written in the ASA
rule book and eliminate all the "crow-hopping" and
"leaping" that is allowed to go on now. I worked a
Memorial Day Weekend tournament, a total of seven games, and didn't see one legal pitch. If I would
have dared call an illegal pitch I would have been
run out of the park. That's the way it is. If we are not allowed to enforce the rule, Why have it?

Answer
Hi Delno,

I understand your problem but here in MI we don't tolerate it, especially in tournament play.

Every tournie I've umpired or UICed illegal pitches are discussed in the pre-tournie meeting and umpires that don't call them, don't advance in the tournament.  That usually doesn't happen as all umpires are on the same page.

As a UIC I like to start the tournie with my strongest umpires on the dish.  That way we all set the "tone" in the 1st games.

Everything (umpire-wise) in a tournie flows from the UIC down.  Here in MI we know what state staff wants and if we don't deliver you don't uic anymore.

It sounds to me that your UIC didn't set the tone and the pitching got out of hand.  A single umpire is going to get killed if they're by themselves.

I would talk to the tournie uic and my state uic about my concerns if I had a problem.  I'm sorry but I don't know what else to tell you.

Mark