quote:
Originally posted by rex:
We've all had them once or twice. He (or she) isn't just a heckler, but takes it way beyond that. The fan that knows he or she is protected by the chain link.
These people are the ones that when in a major league ballpark you see security walking them to the door.
Unless you are working D level there is no campus security. Oh, sometimes in FED ball you'll see school district security hide out at a game for awhile but they are just there because they are goofing off, rather than completing appointed rounds.
I'll give a situation that I blew this summer and see what you guys would have done.
Fist week Sandy Colfax season. Age unknown just Sandy Colfax. I'm in the salad with a young experienced fella at the dish. We had this fan that was unbelievable, major whining on every call, claiming balk on about every other pitch. If there were a banger he'd almost climb the fence in his protesting. When it got to the point of getting his fellow fans involved my Pard started loosing it. Then Pard popped the coach. Have you ever seen the movies where in a prison riot the angry mob is all pushed up against the fence?
After the game it didn't settle down until THE FAN had driven away. Young fella was to the point of calling him out etc. etc. Just a plane old ugly situation.
I blew it because all I did was try to settle everybody down. The action I should have taken I didn't learn about until I started surfing the net.
What I'd do today is only one tool that I have to use. There must be a lot more.
Buy the way in our assoc. we're not SUPPOSED to pop a fan. Although I have heard rumors of the stands being totally cleared.
rex
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Rex, I learned a good way to deal with these idiots. We don't have much of a problem at our fed level, ad's are required to attend. At our PONY games, I will usually find a league official or ranking coach who is not a member of competing teams to be my "security force".
Example, working a Bronco level all-star invitational tourney, I had this one parent not only ripping my pard but also the coaching staff.Betwen innings, I had enough of this fool. I called for some game balls, quietly pointed offender out and poof, he was escorted from the stands.
The moral of this is, if ya gotta run a fan, don't let it be known it was the ump. Sometimes that will bleed off to other fans and a real crap house ensues.....chris