Managers have very tough jobs. I always respected their job but demanded respect in return.
I had a great first year and Mr. MacDonald was my biggest supporter. He gave me the encouragement I needed that first year to get my career started on a positive note.
My main objective is to prepare candidates for professional baseball however, the majority of our graduates will go home as much better qualified amateurs.
My dad was a carpenter and I would work with him during the summer and umpire on the nights I wasn't playing.
As a whole, the managers today are different in temperament. Most have very good communication skills and are more understanding of the umpire's job. That doesn't mean they are better managers. It just means that I perceive today's managers a bit differently.
Looking back on those games, I probably hustled out of position as much as I hustled into position since I really never had any real training. I was working on instincts alone.