[jumpmaster]

Guys, I started the thread concerning threats against an umpire...http://www.officialforum.com/showthread.php?postid=246068#post246068

Here is the story:
R2, R3, 1 out. Fly ball to F8. Catch for out #2. R3 tags and scores. F8 throws to 2nd and gets out #3 on R2 who did not tag. PU scores run. Coach argues and says "you are an idiot." Buh-bye.

here is a copy of the email I sent to the league...please share your comments.

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- 2 people were ejected, #6 and #21, for unsportsmanlike conduct. #21 stated something to the effect of "You are stupid...insane", etc. #6 stated something similar.

- After the ejections, the assistant coach came out of the dugout and began to argue. He was told to remove #6 and #21 from the field and attempted to do so.

- #6 left the field and sat down the right field line for the remainder of the game and had no further interaction with either team or umpires.

- After leaving the field, #21 came onto the field twice to argue and carrying a cell phone attempting to create a conversation between the umpires and the league director. At this point #21 and the assistant coach were warned that #21 should leave the field or there would be a forfeit.

- Direct quote from UIC's report:

#21 also was saying he wouldn't leave, he'd go to a step outside the dugout and say it was public property and he'd do as he f----ing well pleased- oh, and in fact, this was his field, so he could tell us to get our asses off if he wanted to. At this point we should have forfeited the game, but I didn't for a couple reasons...#21 made a comment about seeing me in the parking lot (these guys are rednecks, I was honestly a little worried about my butt if I left the field.) Also, it was top of the seventh, 4-2, the Deerz needed three outs to end the game. I didn't want to call the game without someone like the Police there, honestly. So I went down to Gary, who was running the concession stand (a fellow umpire), and had him call the local police. We didn't start again until after they got there. They came out on the field, #21 followed them, I just told them #21 had been ejected and was not leaving the area, like he should. They went over in the street and were talking to him so we started again.

- After the game started back up, #21 was told to leave the dugout area 3 different times.

- Another quote from the UIC's report:

As for me, I do believe that's the last men's league I do for now...Alan, it's not worth it for me to go do that ball, and have to deal with all the prima-dona crap that goes on...men's league will continue to lose quality officials when crap like that goes on, and we know going into a game that it will probably happen sometime during that day.

My thoughts:

- The ejections were justified and the assistant coach and #6 conducted themselves appropriately.

- The actions of #21 are an embarrassment to the MSBL and the Cardinals. In addition, his actions replicate a spoiled 14 yr old instead of a grown man.

- I understand the requirement that #21, as a representative of the league, should remain at the ball park. By hanging out at the dugout, he created the appearance that he was attempting to participate in the game as a manager.

- In some states, merely threatening an umpire is a felony. In Arkansas, it is a Class A misdemeanor.

Arkansas Cod. Ann. Section 5-13-209 provides: Any person, with the purpose of causing physical injury to another person, who shall strike or otherwise physically abuse an athletic contest official immediately prior to, during, or immediately following an interscholastic, intercollegiate, or any other organized amateur or professional athletic contest in which the athletic contest official is participating shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

- #6 should serve his one game suspension in accordance with the MSBL rules.

- #21 should be suspended for the remainder of the season for threatening an umpire.

There are two things that concern me over this issue. First, BUNWA had been assured that this type of stuff was over. In every other league that BUNWA provides umpires for, there is an administrator that represents the interests of the league, PRESENT at the field. That administrator handles situations such as the one that occurred in Siloam Springs. I understand that you can't be at every field, every day. However, there are other board members that can share the duties. Their presence goes a significant distance towards relieving many of the concerns expressed by the members of BUNWA. I accepted a gentlemen's agreement that participants in the league would conduct themselves appropriately. It is apparent, after the last several weeks that the members of the league don't care about the agreement that exists between our two organizations.

Second, the childish shenanigans by several of the MSBL players are running off the best umpires from your league. I, and my umpires understand that a manager is going to work an umpire in order to attempt to obtain an advantage. That is baseball. However, the players and managers continue to show a lack of understanding about proper conduct on the baseball field or in other words, when "enough is enough." My umpires are representatives of baseball and work very hard to know the rules and their proper application. I am alarmed that the majority of my top tier umpires refuse to work MSBL because of the crap that must be tolerated on the MSBL field, despite the $ incentive to do so.

Please let me know when your board of directors intends to address this issue. I would like to attend. I assume that you will have a meeting prior to the Cardinals next scheduled game.

As for umpire performance, rest assured that I am closely monitoring who is working MSBL games to ensure that your league receives the best available umpires on any given day. An interesting stat I came across during my conversations with some of my MLB contacts: on average, a MLB home plate umpire misses 12 pitches per game. That is a guy who every four games works the plate and sees 300+ pitches. They aren't perfect...well I guess you can see where I am going.
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[Edited by jumpmaster on Aug 2nd, 2005 at 09:30 AM]