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Down in this area, if a AA wants to make a threat, like I'll see you in the parking lot, it's time for the police. That is a Class B Misdemeanor. I believe that is now a minimum of a $500 fine. As one judge put it," ... threatening an umpire on the field or physically accosting them is just like threatening a court official or police officer." While I'm not sure that I understand or agree with the comment, I can sure appreciate it. Then, after the police, you go to the Board and the AA or parent or whoever, is probably banned from the park for a few years. Of course, you may be a little more tolerant than me. In today's times and climate, take no chances. If someone's gonna make the threat, take it seriously and act accordingly, ie the police. I gotta go to work the next day, after having fun on the field. Can't do that if I'm wearing someone's bat on my head. Or if I'm in jail for unruly behavior in a parking lot. Cut it off and nip it in the bud.
I had a friend doing the Mexican League Baseball in Dallas about 8 years ago. He loves to tell this story. His partner made a call that did not meet with approval from the batting team. The runner who was called out kept on yelling and arguing with the BU. Finally, the BU tossed him. The guy then went to the bleachers, pulled out a beer bottle and started drinking it and yelling some more. The BU told him he had to leave the park. The guy took offense at this, came back on the field, breaking the beer bottle on the post in the door of the dugout and said he was gonna cut up the BU. Did I mention the BU was huge? The guy took one swing at him with the beer bottle, then the BU hammered him, pulled out some handcuffs and drug him to the fence, lifted him up and hung him from the fence with the cuffs, where just the balls of his feet were touching the ground. He then pulled out a cell phone and called 911.
Now you gotta wonder ( as my friend was) what the BU was doing with a cell phone and cuffs on a ball field. When the cops got there, they were pretty upset about the guy hanging from the fence, barely touching the ground, until the BU identified himself as a SAC for the FBI. The dude was under arrest for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. My friend liked to passed out, he had no idea.
Take no chances, ever. It's better to be safe than sorry.
[Edited by TexBlue on Aug 11th, 2004 at 01:10 PM]
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Rick
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