Episode Details

In Pennsylvania, youth baseball umpires must now pass three mandatory clearances — state police check, child abuse clearance, and fingerprinting — a rule that’s sparked chaos and resistance. Charlie Forster, an experienced umpire since 2017, has complied for years, while Dave Gregory, president of the Pittsburgh Umpire Association, built his own spreadsheet to track compliance after discovering no one else was enforcing it — or even bothering to keep records. He warns non-compliance could land him in legal trouble. Many umpires balk at the $60 fee, not realizing they’d recoup it in just two games. Even Pittsburgh’s R.B.I. league, which recently started requiring clearances, is offering reimbursements — a stark contrast to Gregory’s scramble to find compliant umpires. Only one other assigner, for high school games, keeps everyone cleared. Though state and federal agencies issue the clearances, enforcement remains lax, leaving leagues vulnerable if something goes wrong — all while kids’ safety hangs in the balance.

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