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Old Mon Aug 01, 2005, 07:51pm
DG DG is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,022
My last game was behind the plate of a state tournament final for 16-18 year olds. One team's fans gave me hell for just about every other pitch, regardless of who was at bat, and the other team's fans hardly said a word. On one occassion, after a batter had been hit by a pitch one of the complaining side's fans yelled loudly "damn, when does the pitcher get a warning?". While the player was being attended to I asked game management to either get rid of him or make him calm down. This was not high school or college tournament, but one where fan decorum is expected. That's about the extent of my involvement with fans. I generally ignore.

And while the cases of umpire abuse after a game are notorious, statistically, I expect it is higher risk to drive home from work. I know far more people who have been mugged going to their car after work (mostly female) than umpires who have been mugged after a game. Always leave the field with your partner, and never leave your partner until you are both undressed and ready, especially if the game has been fan-rough. And in the rarest of cases, you and your partner should leave, fully dressed and meet somewhere nearby. I have never felt that threatened, but if I did, I would be gone...
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