In football and basketball, referees administer the rules of the game and make rulings on fouls and penalties. In baseball, the umpire rules on all plays that occur on the field. However, Dictionary.com defines umpire as "a person selected to rule on the plays in a game," and "one selected to settle disputes about the application of settled rules or usages." That definition is quite appropriate since disputes involving umpires' rulings are common in the sport.
Function
The umpire in baseball has many jobs. The home plate umpire decides whether each pitch is a strike or a ball. He calls runners safe or out. He decides if a ball is fair or foul. In short, the umpire makes a ruling on every play in the game. Some of the calls are simple and obvious while others are nearly impossible to decide. Yet the umpire's job is to make the call without hesitation.
Significance
An umpire's judgment can impact a player's career, a team's season or the result of an important game. The umpire's job is to get the call correct and to allow the players to determine the outcome of the game. If the umpire makes an incorrect call, the players' talents and abilities are not the deciding factor. Fans may not like it when a player on the team they are supporting fails to perform and the team loses. However, they get far more upset if a poor call from an umpire hurts their team or a player from that team.
Features
The umpire has to be prepared to live his professional life with little support. He may work a game with one, two or three other umpires, but when a manager argues a call, it can get very personal. As a result, the umpire is very much on his own after making a call that leads to a dispute. The umpire does not have to put up with abusive language or behavior after making a call. If a player or manager has a dispute, he may air his displeasure and point out what he perceives as the umpire's error. The umpire may respond but he does not have to.
History
While umpires are often involved in arguments following their decisions, the key to their ability is a strong sense of integrity. In the cases of Al Barlick, Jocko Conlan, Nestor Chylak, Bill Klemm, Cal Hubbard, Bill McGowan and Tom Connolly, their abilities and integrity level were so high that they were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame for their consistent performance. Klemm understood the umpire's job was to make the call but let the players decide the game. "The best umpired game is the game in which the fans cannot recall the umpires who worked it," Klemm said.
Considerations
Major League Baseball umpires are allowed to view video replays to determine if the ball flew out of the park. In many cases, home runs are close call. The home run barrier may be marked by a yellow line in many stadiums. An umpire stationed at one of the bases may not be able to determine accurately whether the ball hit the line or sailed over it. As a result, the umpires can watch a replay and make their ruling after the play has been completed. Replay is not used in any other circumstances.
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