Hypothetical Injury Situation

[Fan10]

Last year, in an NCAA game that I was watching, the right fielder and the first baseman were both trying to catch a pop fly when there was a horrible collision between the two of them. The right fielder got up and stayed in the game, but the first baseman stayed down as there was great concern about injury to the head/neck area. There was about a 20 minute delay while his neck was immobilized, and he was taken off the field by ambulance. Fortunately, it turned out that he had no injuries to the head/neck area and had a bad shoulder injury.

While they waited for the ambulance, he was conscious. The whole team gathered around him, and they said a prayer. The head coach was the second person to arrive on the scene (beaten only by the trainer), and the head coach immediately got down on his knees, and all the way up until the first baseman was put on the stretcher, he was talking to him the whole time. I know most head coaches would have done the same. After all, he recruited the kid, and I know he felt a duty to be there for him during what was probably one of the scariest moments of his life.

After the dust settled, I started thinking about something: What if earlier in the game, the head coach had been ejected and then this happened? I know that an ejection carries with it that a coach has to leave the sights and sounds of the game. If he comes back out to be with his kid, and then as soon as the kid is wheeled off, he goes right back to the locker room, I know that he would be in violation of the rules. But, is this a situation where it could be overlooked? Is there ever a legitimate reason for an ejected coach to come back--even if he leaves before the game resumes?

[Rich Ives]

Don't even think about it.

[bob jenkins]

Returning to the field in this situation is specifically allowed in FED. I'd also allow it in any other level below pro -- and include it in the ejection report (without making a big deal about it at the time)

[ozzy6900]

I would never stop a coach (ejected or not) from attending to an injured player.

[BoomerSooner]

Coming back in for non-managerial purposes such the OP isn't going to draw my ire.

Coming back to the field like this isn't going to go over well.

[mattmets]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

Coming back in for non-managerial purposes such the OP isn't going to draw my ire.

Coming back to the field like this isn't going to go over well.

Say what now?

[chapmaja]

I don't do baseball, but as a softball umpire, I have to agree with the posters. There are things much more important than a coach staying away from the field after being ejected. One of them is when the health and safety of his/her players is at stake. I would not have any issue with the coach coming out for a situation in which a player is seriously injured and needs to be removed via ambulance.

One thing to remember is that at levels less than professional, it is not uncommon for the coach to have all the contact information for parents on his/her person. If he/she is ejected and a player is injured, who is going to be the contact person between the situation and the parents (if they are not there). The coach needs to be able to contact the parents and provide them information, which requires them to be on the scene of what is going on.

Now, with all of that said, after the injured player is removed from the field, the coach needs to leave the area and not do any coaching. If the coach starts coaching after the player is removed we have an issue. Personally, if there is an assistant coach present and a player is that injured, the ejected head coach may be better suited to travel with the student to medical attention, in the absence of the parents.

[CT1]

Let him come back. Have the non-ejecting umpire monitor him.

[JJ]

I'd let him come back as well at any level below pro. Woe to him if he does or says anything that is out of line ("My player would not have been injured if you umpires would have done your job..."). I might even ding him if he sneers at me under those circumstances. I sent him packing in the first place for being out of line.

JJ

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by mattmets

Say what now?

Yes...someone got my reference. Sometimes that is all it takes to make a Monday a better day!!!

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

Yes...someone got my reference. Sometimes that is all it takes to make a Monday a better day!!!

How long was he suspended for after that stunt? I remember it happening, but I don't recall the additional penalty that was handed down. I know MLB did not take kindly to the antics.

[BoomerSooner]

He got 2 games and a fine. I don't think the fine was that much (a few grand), but this happened back in 1999, so whatever it was might seem like more if we adjusted for inflation to figure the present day value.