G REATER L OWELL U MPIRES A SSOCIATION G ENERAL M EETING John Hansbury President March 16,

GLBUA Agenda Treasurers report - GLBUA Balance as of Mar is $13,457.1 Attendance - Lucien Tanguay, Ray Bellerose General Business- President John Hansbury Rules interpretation - Tom Clews

General Business Mandatory Rules Interpretation Dates : – COMPLETE General meetings - Must attend 2 of the 4 scheduled meetings – Wednesday Mar 16 (nominations) 7-9 pm – Wednesday March 23, 7-9 pm – Thursday March 31 - ( Banquet & Elections ) 6-10 pm – Wednesday April 27th. 7-9 pm – Sonny Robbins Award – 50/50 raffle will help fund the Award

General Business Nominations- Wednesday Mar 16 for the following Positions – Vice President – (1) Executive Board At-Large Members Banquet & Elections - Thursday March pm - See Mark Byrne if you are attending Forms for the Banquet & Sonny Robbins award Available at the attendance table please pick one up at the end of the meeting

MIAA OFFICAL’S BACKGROUND CHECK UPDATE: The MIAA Board of Directors has approved a policy to conduct background checks for all game officials, beginning in this year If you officiate HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL and have not registered with Arbiter, please go to miaa.arbitersports.com and do so as soon as possible.

MIAA Notes OFFICAL’S BACKGROUND CHECK UPDATE: The MIAA Board of Directors has approved a policy to conduct background checks for all game officials, beginning in this year If you officiate HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL and have not registered with Arbiter, please go to miaa.arbitersports.com and do so as soon as possible. – Deal with poor bench and on-field behavior early in the contest. – Making bench and on-field behavior a high priority. – Understanding ourselves—our pressure points, our hot buttons, our responses to stressful situations and our non-verbal messages. – Establishing a benchmark on what is or what is not acceptable to you

Sonny Robbins Memorial Scholarship Fund the GLBUA has established the Sonny Robbins Memorial Scholarship Fund. This award will be given to any umpire in good standing who has a son/daughter/grandson/granddaughter going to/or already in college. It also is available to GLBUA members who are members in good standing and are going to/ attending college. It is a $500 Cash Award funded in part by the 50/50 raffle at the meetings -Tickets $5 for 1 or 3 for $10.- Please support this worthy fund named after a founding member of this board. The award limits 2 applicants per family. There shall be no duplicate winners of the award

Presidents Report – Sonny Robbins Award – MBUA – Clinics -Winter Clinic – Questions? For members wanting to improve their Umpiring skills Tom Clews is hosting a clinic : Location :Tufts University, 161 College Avenue, Medford, MA (Gantcher Center downstairs at the Carzo Cage - – Date :Sunday March 20th – Time : 3pm to 6pm – Carzo Cage features a Mondo multi-purpose sports floor and is completely enclosed by sports netting. The Cage can accommodate a variety of athletic activities and includes regulation Baseball and Softball infields, batting cages, and bullpens. The Cage also includes two multi-purpose courts suitable for tennis, volleyball, basketball, and indoor soccer.

Interpreter Tom Clews RULES QUIZ 1.There is a runner on 1 st. The batter comes to bat using a BESR bat. During his at bat, the baserunner steals 2 nd and 3 rd. The batter, then gets a base hit scoring the runner. The Coach legally appeals the batter for using an illegal bat and the umpire agrees. Batter ruled out. Runner returns to 1 st. 2.Runner on 3 rd, two outs. Runner on 3 rd is coming home on a "suicide squeeze". Batter bunts the ball, pitcher fields the ball and attempts to retire the runner at home, but runner is ruled "safe". The catcher then attempts to retire the batter and the batter is ruled out for 3' lane interference. The umpires allow the run to score because the interference was the second play. 3.Batter hits a "ground rule " double and misses 1 st. The pitcher, while, putting the ball back in play and still in contact with the rubber, throws to 1 st for the appeal. Umpire rules a "balk" for throwing to an unoccupied base and disallows any subsequent appeal. 4.Bases loaded, two outs, 3-2 pitch, runners moving. Umpire calls ball four. Runner advancing from 2 nd to 3 rd overruns 3 rd base and the catcher realizing that throws him out before the runner on 3 rd has crossed home plate. Umpires disallow the run because this is now a "time play“. 5.If a pitcher goes to his mouth, while in contact with the rubber, with runner(s) on base, it should be called a "balk".

REVIEW OF MLB/MIAA RECENT BASEBALL RULES: 6.If a pitcher goes to his mouth, while in contact with the rubber, with no one on base, it should be called a "ball". 7.Runner on 1 st is stealing 2 nd. The batter swings and misses at the pitch and, subsequently, hinders the catcher's throw. Umpire rules "batter's interference", however, the catcher is able to make a perfect throw and the ensuing play ends up in a rundown. Umpire allows the play to continue because the catcher was able to make the throw. 8.If a pitcher "balks" and there is a play immediately following the "balk", the manager of the offense may have the option of taking the play. 9.There is a sinking line drive to center field with no one on base. There is a question as to the "catch". The plate umpire rules a "catch" and the coach appeals that the plate umpire ask the base umpire for help. The base umpire states: his responsibility was not the "catch" but insuring the batter touched first base. 10.The proper mechanic/technique during an "Infield Fly" is for the base umpire to "point at where the ball is" and then allow the plate umpire to invoke the rule.