One call from an umpire can make or break a baseball game. But few fans can name an umpire, much less recognize him in public.
Bruce Weber spent time learning how to call balls and strikes for his book, As They See 'Em. He also interviewed dozens of professional umpires about their craft.
Weber discovered what amounts to an eccentric secret society, with its own customs, rituals and colorful vocabulary.
He also describes what it's like to work in ballparks where fans, players, managers, coaches, owners and even announcers second-guess their calls.
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