11.   To the Republicans, it was like hitting a series of home runs, only to have the umpire take them away.

12.   Without a paycheck since December, umpires have taken out second mortgages.

13.   A Japanese professional baseball umpire will take time off to accept responsibility for a missed call, a spokesman said Tuesday.

14.   Baseball officials and the union agreed not to formalize the decision until after umpires had taken the field in the final playoff game of the day.

15.   Baseball umpires took the field as scheduled Tuesday for the start of the postseason after withdrawing their threat to boycott the playoffs over the Roberto Alomar spitting incident.

16.   International umpires will take part.

17.   The umpires took the players off with Essex needed only six runs to win with two wickets left.

18.   U.S. Major League Baseball umpires took the field for the playoff opener at Camden Yards even though Baltimore second baseman Roberto Alomar was there too.

19.   When the umpires eventually took the field, both teams formed a tunnel for Bird to take his last steps onto his favorite ground.

20.   When the umpires took the field, they were wearing the recently purchased black rain jackets and pants made for golfers.