Photo/David Kohl

Josh readies himself for the BLUE "Best Ball" Contest - a kid favorite!

During the season, our participating baseball umpires host small groups at Big League ballparks to learn, laugh, and have fun. The Big League Umpiring Experience (BLUE) is a behind-the-scenes look at baseball through the eyes of a Big League Baseball umpire. BLUE includes a tour and activity segment followed by tickets to the game.

Tour activities vary based on the stadium, events going on that day, and preferences of the host umpire. In general however, kids have supervised access to the umpire's locker room, a team dugout, and an area of the baseball field. Past activities include:

• GROUND RULES: a discussion (and sometimes pop quiz) of stadium ground rules.
• "YOU MAKE THE CALL": a video segment of plays from previous baseball games where kids make split-second judgments just as the umpires do.
• "BEST BALL" CONTEST: kids apply mud to baseballs to remove the slippery gloss. The winning ball is used for the first pitch of the baseball game.
• MEET A CELEBRITY: meet a player, manager, club executive, or member of the broadcasting team. Past celebrities include: Sean Casey, Miguel Tejada, Rex Hudler, Jack Wilson, and Adam Dunn.
• BATTING PRACTICE: watch batting practice from the dugout or field level.
• PHOTOS: capture some great pictures from the dugout or side of the field.