[tcblue13]

I don't know if this is a Babe Ruth rule or a local rule in Dare Co. NC, but when I was coaching, the defense was not allowed to say things like, "Hey hey swing batter swing" during the delivery of the pitch. You could talk but not try to coerce the batter to swing. I thought it was stupid then and I still think it is stupid. When I was a kid, we called it chatter.

Obnoxious fans and players will always be a part of the game. Learning how to deal with and overcome adversity is an important part of what the game teaches. Using umpoires and rules to eliminate anything that might make little Janie's team's day or even little Janie's day more difficult just robs little Janie and her team of a life lesson. Let's not atrophe our kids' coping skills by sacrificing them on some false altar of sportsmanship.

Rant off

BTW I think that malicious behavior should be punished accordingly.