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I was telling a friend of mine about this thread when he reminded me of the worst thing we ever saw an umpire do. An event so terrible we all wanted to block it from our memory for ever.
We had this spoiled rich kid who would work some youth fast pitch games with us from time to time. He was a pain to deal with in every way imaginable. His attitude was so bad that many of our umpires refused to work with him. I am very fair and even tempered so I ended up with this kid on my field for this evenings games. He had no plate gear so I knew I would work the plate for both games (no heat problems here in the Pacific Northwest).
Our first game was miserable, a walk/stealing feast You know the type where ball four the batter walks and by ball three the runner scores. As the game went on his attention seamed to drift until he all but stopped paying any attention to the game at all. In fact he would make dirt volcanoes in the infield between plays. I tried to get him back on track by offering some advice on positioning and professionalism. But things only got worst.
Towards the end of the game he stopped making any calls on the field and is just playing with his volcanoes. He was missing so many call (simply not making any call) that I had to start making the calls. After a play I would look at him, get no response, and make the call. On one play after he made another no call, I ruled the girl safe. As I was turning around to return behind the plate I here this enrage "WHAT?" from the offensive coach. Wondering how a coach could be mad at a safe call I turned to see this kid nose to nose with the coach telling him the runner was out because of obstruction. Before I could get to the argument the kid tosses the coach for arguing his call. Since there was no obstruction (or interference) I talked to the kid and asked him what he saw and why he didn't make the call during the play. He offered a half hearted attempt to explain the rule to me, but I can see no reason for the runner to be out. We decided that my call was right and returned the runner to base. But he had ejected the coach, I offered that since there was no call there could be no arguing of the call, and that the coach should not be ejected, and again we went with my call. When the game ends we usually return to the umpire area to change, get a drink and talk about the last game. Instead this kid starts arguing with the coach and fans. I take him aside and tell him that I need him to calm down and start to pay attention to the game on the field. We go over our pre-game and he assures me he will be better for the second game.
Well our second game was special, the number one and two teams. I expected better pitching, fielding and hitting. I also expected my partner to act more professionally. I got all my expectations from the players and none from my partner. After a very badly blown call and argument (with cussing) I had to eject ... my partner from the game. Yes that is right I actually ejected my base umpire from the game. I had him escorted from the field by our UIC. Goodbye never ever come back here again. After the kid was gone both teams played one of the best games I ever had the privilege to umpire.
And that is the worst thing I have ever seen an umpire do.
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