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Timely thread. I heard just about everything today. We're in the middle of a pretty big tournament with age groups from 9 to 18 years. I started yesterday with a couple of 18-year old games. Everyone involved was very well behaved. Barely a peep at all.
I then had a couple of 16-year old games. The chirping increased a bit but we got through it.
Today I had 13-year olds. First off, the weather's been terrible. My DH was scheduled to start at 1:30 didn't get under way until 4:00. I have the plate for game 2. Credit to the guys who worked on the field - they did a great job. The only thing we were missing were the batter's boxes. That being said, you just know this is going to become and issue during the game.
Sure enough, top of the second inning, the visitors have already scored a run and have a runner on 2nd. LH batter in the box squares to bunt but pulls the bat back. I ring up strike 1.
One of the defensive coaches starts chirping that the batter's foot was out of the box. (I should point out that the dugouts are no more than 15 feet from the plate.) I ignored the chirping.
The batter squares and pulls back and takes the next pitch for a ball. Coach is getting louder. I'm still ignoring.
Batter gets set before the next pitch. Now the coach is almost out of his mind yelling at me.
Time!
Blue, I know there are no boxes but he's not standing in the box.
Coach, there ARE NO BOXES and he's fine where he is.
Blue, he's not in...
Coach, we're done.
But Blue...
Coach, that's enough.
But...
Buh-bye.
Advance to the 5th inning. Home team is now down by a 7-0 score. Their pitcher is starting to lose control and runners are on base. I'm begging the catcher to remind his pitcher to come to a stop so I don't have to balk him.
The pitcher now delivers a pitch that cuts the plate in half but is low. Ball 1. Pitcher rolls his eyes at me. Coach tells him that it's okay, put the next one there.
And he does. Ball 2. Now the hands go up and he's stomping around the mound.
Coach tells him that it's okay, "Blue is trying to make a statement."
I've already dumped one coach and I'm not looking for any more trouble. I ignore it.
The catcher digs the next pitch out of the dirt. Ball. Arms go up...eye roll...pitcher moans and stomps around. Coach is asking where that pitch was.
The next pitch of the sequence sails over the batter's head for ball 4. Coach comes out to remove his pitcher. I can hear the comments but I'm not looking for any more trouble. I move to the visitor's side to keep out of the way and then I hear it - "He's a f*cking douche bag!"
I'm not letting this slide. Coach, he's gone! Get his things and get him out of here! I turn and walk away and let things calm down.
I issued a few more warnings and at times wanted to tell the manager that he's too stupid to realize that I'm doing my best to keep him in the game. Enough already!
Now to the top of the 6th. Visitors are threatening again. Runner on second and the batter hits one in the gap in right center. R2 turns third and is headed for home. F9's throw is late and pulls the catcher a few steps up the line toward third. There is a collision. Nothing malicious. The catcher goes down and is hurt. The runner stumbles and manages to get a hand on the plate. The ball, which was nowhere near the catcher at the time of the collision, rattles around the cage and bounces back to the pitcher who throw to second in an attempt to retire the B/R.
As this is going on the coaches are screaming about the runner having to slide or avoid and so on. The manager comes out and starts yelling about how his player is hurt and something has to be done.
I instruct the coach to attend to his injured player. But that's my son! Fine, tend to your son. Honestly, at this point I'm starting to worry about my safety. I leave the area only to be followed by another assistant coach.
My partner is standing behind the pitcher's mound with this thumb somewhere unmentionable. The tournament site director is standing on the hill watching all hell break loose.
Finally, the home team manager tells me he's taking his team off the field.
Coach, please let the site manager know that this is your decision.
Now that everyone knows the game is over and there are no repercussions the sh*t really hits the fan. The coach I tossed is on the field trying to get to me. Parents are shouting to the losing team, "Don't shake their hands," as if the other team had anything to do with what happened. And the parents and fans do what parents and fans usually do - make asses of themselves.
But now we have a problem. We're playing on a JV field a a high school. The JV field is behind the Varsity field, which is behind the football field, which is behind the field house - meaning I've probably got about a 1/4 mile walk along a small path to get to me my car which is parked in the parking lot along with every other a-hole who thinks I screwed them.
It took all my strength but I held my tongue and tolerated all the insults that were tossed my way. The site manager was nowhere to be found. Thinking about it now, I should have called the police.
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