All of us officials have a laundry list of bad calls, dumb mistakes, etc., that we have done while officiating.

There is no question, this was my worst mistake ever:

It was a summer Connie Mack (high school-age) game in the Saginaw District Tournament. I was UIC (Umpire In Chief) for the tournament in Saginaw Township, which meant I hired all of the umpires for the tournament.

We went first-class all the way, and it was a four-person crew, just like the majors.

I was the plate umpire.

There was a runner on first base and the batter hit a line drive into left field for a routine single. Properly, the 3B umpire ran out into left field to watch the play. Properly, I began to rotate toward third base.

Because I assumed (first mistake) — being that these were quality players — that the left fielder would field the ball cleanly and the runner on first would stop at second base, I was loafing toward third (second mistake).

Now, the left fielder failed to pick up the ball cleanly and the runner on first is now going to try for third. I started quickly to cover third to make up for my laziness, but I am six feet outside the third base line in foul territory, not the place to be (third mistake).

Then the left fielder kicks the ball while trying to pick it up and the runner is now going to try to score. I look back at the plate to see if the first base umpire has properly rotated to cover the plate and he is still standing behind first base.

As I try to turn and head back to home plate for a possible play on the runner, I am still six feet outside the baseline in foul territory when the runner comes steaming around third, headed home.

There I am … right in his way.

There is a collision and I am knocked down. As I roll over to get up, I am praying that I will be seeing the runner safely crossing the plate. No such luck. The runner is also getting up off of the ground and is easily thrown out. I wished I could have found a hole to crawl into.

I was certainly expecting lots of booing from the team and fans. One parent of the team wronged was a fellow official and a nice guy … except when his son was playing. Then he was as obnoxious a fan as you could imagine.

I expected Geno to just be unmerciful in his abuse, as he was sitting right behind home plate. I deserved it.

To his credit, Geno never said a word.

I am sure he knew how embarrassed and upset I was.

I ran many clinics for youth umpires in my summer job as UIC of all the Saginaw Township summer leagues. I would tell that story in every clinic to make the point that, a.) you always hustle to the correct position, and, b.) stay out of the possible path of base runners.

Les Miller, of Hubbard Lake, has retired after 53 years officiating multiple sports around Michigan. He can be reached at theoldref@yahoo.com.