Umpires...Wow

[Son of a Son]

Hats off to Christal and Bible. This little excerpt came from Bohl's latest in the Statesman:

In reply to:

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[KEYSERSOZE]

Yeah Spike Owen thinks Christal is one of the best. Christal is a self absorbed prima donna. **** him!

 

[Son of a Son]

Spike is still safe!

 

[NBHorn7]

I still remember that play. It was against Wichita State at the
1982 College World Series. Spike had doubled leading off and
then I think it was Brumley that hit that slow grounder like a bunt. There was no play on Brumley with his speed. So as
an after thought the throw went to third. Spike was already
popping up out of his slide when Christal called him out.

As luck would have it I was sitting between third and home
on the lower deck with Chuck Black the son of former UT
basketball coach Leon Black. At first I was in shock at the
call and was speechless. Chuck went ballistic and was screaming at the top of his lungs at Christal and I think he heard it as we weren't that far away. I soon joined him in
the screaming.

Now that was nothing new for me, but anybody that knows
Chuck would not have recognized him at that moment. I mean
Chuck was as reserved and usually mild mannered a person
as I have ever met. This told me how really bad that call was
if he reacted this way. I mean I was almost as shocked by
Chuck's reaction as Christal's call.

We still scored a couple of runs that inning which was the top
of the 1st. Without that terrible call it would have been a much
bigger inning.

Then later Calvin Schiraldi hit a Wichita State batter in the face
and shattered it. He made the mistake of running up to the
plate and looking at the guy and turned away in horror. Calvin
was worthless as a pitcher after that and WSU came back
and beat us 8-4 and eliminated us from playing Miami for the
championship.

 

[ElginHotSausage]

that was my first CWS.

at least Randy admits today that he blew the call. I still give him **** everytime I see him.
"It's 2013 and Spike is still safe."

 

[KazooMan]

I remember us calling Bible at 3 AM the first year he umped in the CWS, just to tell him the Wild Bunch had arrived safely in Omaha. I had never heard such language from an umpire..

These two are not perfect - no umpire is - but they are both a hell of a lot better than the ACC and SEC umpires I see here in Florida. Congratulations to them both on this milestone!

 

[UT Horn Fan]

John Bible and Randy Christal are two of the best I've seen in my 20 years watching Texas Baseball.

They might have missed a call here or there, but all umpires miss one now and then. They are light years better than the Big XII crews we see in here week in and week out.

In fact I joke with my friends that the reason the Big XII uses three man crews is that they can't find enough bad umps to field four. And don't even get me started on 3 vs 4 man crews.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I arrive at the ballpark and see Bible or Christal on the field.

 

[NBHorn7]

Yes, they have had long and distinguished careers as umpires and as refs in football. I know Jon has also done
well as an adminstrator in those fields also.

They are for the most part good people too. I remember well
going out to eat after baseball games and talking to them. There
Jon would always answer questions about his calls. He
was also very fond of the "double chicken fried" with the yellow gravy at the old Stallion cafe on North Lamar.

 

[accuratehorn]

Christal and Bible are great umpires, reflected by their selection to umpire the CWS various times.
My first CWS was 1982, and Spike was safe at third. Was Christal trying too hard to not show any bias toward Texas, since he was from Austin? That was the popular theory at the time, but maybe he just missed it. I'm not perfect, so I realize other people can also make mistakes.
It was a call that a lot of people remember to this day, however.

 

[Alex_de_Large]

I always thought the big fells Jenkins was a better ump than those guys behind the plate. Oh, and Bible used to wear some of the tightest ump uniforms the world has ever seen. Still, 40 years is a long times. Congratulations to both.

 

[tsquar]

Congratulations to Jon and Randy. I met Jon while watching a Horns game at the 'ole ball field where Bass Concert Hall now resides. Both are fine gentlemen and I'm proud to know 'em and play a small role in their second profession. Saturday can't get here soon enough.

 

[Son of a Son]

You know, Jenkins never had the best strike zone but it was always the same. In this day and age, that is all you can ask for, consistency. Most of the Big 12 umps are horrible in this respect with their zones constantly shifting even between batters. You always knew what was a strike with Jenkins.