By Colleen Kane
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In the Cincinnati Metro Softball Championships this year, there's one team that has to take on every other team, every angry player, every noisy crowd.

They're the team of 350 ASA umpires that man the more than 650 games in the tournament. Some will work nearly 30 games in the week and a half of the Metro, getting paid $17 per 75-minute game.

And they take each game as seriously as any softball team.

"It's a game, and my game face goes on the same way if I'm going to 'C' or Major," said Tim Klemm, one of the Metro's five deputy umpires-in-chief. "That game is important, and I can screw up any time and look bad."

Klemm is one of 300 registered ASA umpires from the Cincinnati area. Another 50 come from other areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee to experience the Metro's big crowds, said Klemm and tournament organizer Danney Saylor.

"You don't see crowds like this, even at the national and world tournaments," said Klemm, a Metro umpire since 1986. "You go out there and do the Major games, and there's four or five thousand people there. You go to a national game, there might be 12 or 14."

The umpires, who take classes in the winter and go through a two-day training camp in March, also learn by watching other umpires and talking in their tiny, blue changing room/office in the Rumpke concession stands.

"It's the camaraderie and sitting around here talking about, 'I saw you make that call. Why did you make that call? How did you get in position for that call?' " Klemm said. "You learn from observing and listening."

All for the ultimate goal of improving and being selected to call the championship games - an experience that can be quite intense, Saylor said.

"It's noisy, it's festive, and it's pressure," Saylor said. "If you run out to second base and blow a call, you just did it in front of everybody in this city."

And the Cincinnati crowd will let you know it.

"They can be a little nastier sometimes, but most of the time it's just louder and pretty into the game," said Andy Trent, of Kokomo, Ind., working his fourth Metro tournament.

Regardless of what fans might say or do, Klemm said his duty is to try to get better.

"There's people who want to make money. And there's people who just love the game, who want to be the best," Klemm said. "Kind of like a player ... Umpires have the same ego."

E-mail ckane@enquirer.com

Highlights

Down to one park: Play at Eggleston concluded Tuesday. All games now will be at Rumpke Park in Crosby Township.

In B: Rick's Tavern and CML Knights, two of the top teams, faced off for the only B winners bracket game on Tuesday. Rick's Tavern came away with the 20-6 win.

In the Majors: EMR Worth beat Tinytown Pizza 25-3 in Monday's game of the night. EMR advances in the winner's bracket to face Robke Friday at 10:30 p.m.

Up to bat today: The No. 2 seed in the Majors, Watanabe, which lost to Perkins in the opening round, will face Taylor Made at 8:30 p.m. In the "A" losers bracket, Kerry Softball will face Northern Kentucky Softball at 7:30 p.m. "B" losers bracket games will begin at 6:30 p.m.

METRO CHAMPIONSHIPS
TUESDAY At Eggleston
Class A
Mosiac Tees Team 29, Symme's Tavern 12
Class C - American
Queen City Nat. 7, Mead Trucking 0
Two N Out 9, Lawrenceburg Eagles 8
Class D - National
Most Wanted 13, Buffalo Wings & Rings 9
On the Rox 10, Ohmers Landscaping 4
Silverton Cafe 10, Big Stix 4
Cincy Express 9, Linnies 4
Pamco/ECC 9, Rumpke Cardinals 6
Bafoons 8, Ferninand Ramblers 3
XXX Softball/Foleys 14, H&S Brickwords 10
Crosley Scrubs 14, Springdale Cleaners 6
Class D - American
Two & Out 8, Miss Kittys 1
Alcoholics Unanimous 7, Schlindler Elevator 4

At Rumpke Park

Class A
Capitol Investments 23, BWW/Spec. Vending 8
Class B
Paradise Sports 12, Eddie's Cafe 7
Ricke's Tavern/Cincy Stix 20, CML Knights 6
Class D - American
BW3 Kenwood 10, Northbrook 0
USA Today 13, ETS 12
DuBois/RR Ficke 14, Marty/Pub/Tarvin 6
Schott Monument 10, Riverbats 5
Mullins Carpet Cleaing 12, TB Trophies 2
Berneeker Blacktop 15, Rivernuts 3
JTM/Charlie's Boys 10, Kinross Roofing 5
Fleet Guard 10, Dew Drop Inn 3
Patterned Concrete 11, Western Plumbing 3
Shopshire Insurance 12, Deer Park Inn 11
Blazers 23, NuTone 8