the.com/umpire
the only person at the game everyone agrees to hate equally.
means A neutral official who enforces the rules of a game and settles disputes between competing sides.
from From Old French 'nonper,' meaning 'not equal' or 'odd one out' — the third party who tips a tie between two players. English borrowed it as 'noumpere,' but here's the charming twist: people kept mishearing 'a noumpere' as 'an oumpere,' and the wandering N slid over to the article. By the 15th century the misheard version stuck, and we've called the impartial referee an 'umpire' ever since.
word originFrom French nonper, meaning not equal, the odd one
home platePads, mask, and 300 split-second calls a game
perfect gameThey've thrown players, managers, even fans out
replay eraCameras now overrule the unaided human eye
the countThey track balls, strikes, outs, and grudges silently