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In professional sports, officials don't "run and hide." They have specific duties in a player fracas.
Despite negative comments about the Detroit game referees, I have watched enough tape this weekend to believe that they did their job correctly. One official is responsible to get between the two instigators. Obviously in the NBA this is a serious physical mis-match, but NBA players know that they are not going to attack the referee. (But then, they are also supposed to know not to go into the bleachers.)
The second official is supposed to keep the remaining players on their benches. The third official stands back as an observer, removed from the scene.
If you watch hockey you'll see the same response from the officials there. Initially the officials will attempt to break up a fight. Only when they can't will they let them go until they fall to the ice. Meanwhile other officials are tying up players to keep them out of the fight.
Obviously, if you get a multi-player fracas going, like Saturday in South Carolina, the officials might as well hide and wait it out.
As for softball, if I am close enough to two players that I sense are going at each other then I will quickly step between them and use my presence and verbal warnings to keep them separated. And at 6-1/265 not too many teenage girls are going to challenge me. I expect my partner to move in and attempt to keep other players from joining in.
If they get past me, or I am not near them, or many players are getting involved then it has to be up to the coaches and administrators to quell the action. Then I step back and take numbers.
If I see an action that is potentially injurious or life threatening I will take action. If a larger player has another down and is beating viciously on her, or someone comes on the field swinging a bat I will get involved physically. I may be legally correct for not getting involved, but I am not made that way.
WMB
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