Lightening - Game Not Called Immediately

No never seen anything like that before. In fact, a lot of tournament facilities have installed some kind of lightning detector that detects lightning around a certain paremeter. A couple weeks ago we were delayed in a game and it was perfectly sunny.

Once a game starts it is in the hands of the umpires --I run events and once the first pitch is made it is up the umpires discretion

You are right, it is up to the umpires discretion with common sense

I have a 0% tolerance for lightning.....one flash seen by either myself or my partner clears the field immediately.....there is now a 30 minute clock running.....any flash of lightning will reset that clock back to zero.......

No tournament director can tell me to continue a game in a lightning hazard. I am the one that the rules puts in charge of the safety of the participants....I would also be the one held liable if I allowed the game to continue......

To the point in the OP, I have never been asked by a TD to not call a game based on weather and have never had to ask for permission to call a game period.....once the game is in my hands (as per the rules, and as TR points out) only my opinion counts......

That TD may be able to fire me from that game or never want me to officiate his tourney again, but I can live with that.....qualified, certified and insured umpires are in short supply........I can go elsewhere.........

What I could not live with would be having an injury or death that could have been prevented......

Now that is what I am talking about

I agree with PIAA 100%. I am in charge of the field and my partner and I will decide whether it is drk or there is lightning. No TD has any say over what happens on the field. I TD many baseball and softball events and I would never intercede on any onfield decision of any kind. I will make a protest ruling in needed but only after the umps come to me.

I'm guessing the umpire is young (just sounds like a teen ump's actions).
I'm more curious of the teams coaches- whats up there?-- is the ump the only one who's "supposed" to have common sense??

SOP in these parts is same as PIAA and MST indicated. If we see a flash, everyone off the field for 30 minutes and clock restarts with each flash.

I should have said this earlier - game was eventually called, TD said only if both coaches agree! Never heard of that either.

The TD is an idiot that needs to learn the basics of running a tournament. First he has NOTHING to do with the game itself in any manner once the umps have it. That means rules, mechanics, darkness and weather. The only thing he has to do with the game itself is rule on a protest and get rid of unruly participants that have been asked to leave. With this guy lets hope there isn't a rule question or there could be trouble.

Michael,
I have seen a lot of umps show up to tournaments and did not know the specific rules for that tournament. Subing for catcher on base, pitching limits, time limits etc.. Usually not a problem, but I have seen where the TD had to be brought in to clarify a rule specific to that tournament.

And I don't have a problem with that. I have been on both ends of questions like that. But the regular running of a game he needs to stay out of and we certainly won't be polling the coaches for their opinion.

quote:

polling the coaches for their opinion.

Are you referring to Mayhem, Chaos, Havoc!!