***Disclaimer***
This post involves little league happenings and does not directly involve umpires. Please click
here if you do not wish to be exposed to such offensive material.
*End Disclaimer*
I am in charge of lining up umpires for our town's team in the local rec league. To set the stage, no team travels further than 45 minutes to play any of these games so we're not talking big time baseball here.
I had a single game at 6:00 tonight at one field, while a couple other umps I assignted to a double header (with 10U and 12U teams) at our other diamond. I finished my game and headed for home.
On my way out of town, I see flashing lights down by the diamond the two others were working. I figure I better swing by and see what's going on.
I show up to find out the following:
A father from our town went on to the field immediately after the 10U game (after umpires had left field) and questioned one of the coaches as to why his son didn't pitch. Coach replies that his son said he didn't want to. Parent sets in about how that's BS and is getting up in the coaches face and yelling rather loudly by now. The other coach comes over and tries to diffuse the situation by calmly saying that's enough and trying to stay between the parent and the first coach. It appeared the situation would die as the parent turned and began to walk away, still yelling, but moving towards the exit. After a few steps, for some reason, the father turns around and charges the second coach that was trying to help stop the situation and lays him out with a solid jab to the head. Immediately a pile of about 6 adults ensues, the father beating the coach and 4 others trying to pull him off. I haven't heard yet what the diagnosis exatly is on the coach that was beaten, but he was takne by ambulance to a local hospital.
Being from a small town of about 1800, I've heard of this stuff happening. It's one of those "I know it's out there but surely it can't happen here" things. Well, it can, and it did.
Luckily a park districts board member was there and witnessed the event. I talked with her and she said she'll reccomend that the man and his son (unfortunate because the son did nothing wrong but must live with his dad's decision) will be banned for life from all park district property and activities. I haven't heard for sure, but I assume charges will be filed against the attacker.
Just a firsthand experience from a smalltown boy who didn't think that this would ever happen here.
-Josh