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I am in charge of lining up umpires for our town's team in the local rec league. To set the stage, no team travels further than 45 minutes to play any of these games so we're not talking big time baseball here.

I had a single game at 6:00 tonight at one field, while a couple other umps I assignted to a double header (with 10U and 12U teams) at our other diamond. I finished my game and headed for home.

On my way out of town, I see flashing lights down by the diamond the two others were working. I figure I better swing by and see what's going on.

I show up to find out the following:
A father from our town went on to the field immediately after the 10U game (after umpires had left field) and questioned one of the coaches as to why his son didn't pitch. Coach replies that his son said he didn't want to. Parent sets in about how that's BS and is getting up in the coaches face and yelling rather loudly by now. The other coach comes over and tries to diffuse the situation by calmly saying that's enough and trying to stay between the parent and the first coach. It appeared the situation would die as the parent turned and began to walk away, still yelling, but moving towards the exit. After a few steps, for some reason, the father turns around and charges the second coach that was trying to help stop the situation and lays him out with a solid jab to the head. Immediately a pile of about 6 adults ensues, the father beating the coach and 4 others trying to pull him off. I haven't heard yet what the diagnosis exatly is on the coach that was beaten, but he was takne by ambulance to a local hospital.

Being from a small town of about 1800, I've heard of this stuff happening. It's one of those "I know it's out there but surely it can't happen here" things. Well, it can, and it did.

Luckily a park districts board member was there and witnessed the event. I talked with her and she said she'll reccomend that the man and his son (unfortunate because the son did nothing wrong but must live with his dad's decision) will be banned for life from all park district property and activities. I haven't heard for sure, but I assume charges will be filed against the attacker.

Just a firsthand experience from a smalltown boy who didn't think that this would ever happen here.

-Josh

I don't really agree with the son being punished in this matter, however to the fullest extent of the law on the father.

Note to self:
That could just as easily have been an umpire who was beaten by a dad who didn't like the strike zone his son ( pitcher ) was given all game.
You"re right!
It CAN happen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to us!!!!!!!
Umpire beware.

Did you ever see on TV one time (like Real TV or one of those shows) where a college wrestling official got headbutted by a player and knocked him out cold? I think the official was severely injured.

That was a high school official and it happened in Deer Park, Washington, about 20 miles north of Spokane. The official suffered longterm affects from the incident, lingering pain, headaches, nausea, dizziness...

I did see that footage ( I also do High School wrestling officiating and they showed it at our clinic ).
I don't want to be looking over my shoulder everytime I hear foot steps. But when I read articles like this or see footage like the wrestling official, I have several days of doing just that. I am a little more cautious of people around me - especially after events. I find myself looking over my shoulder and being cautious of EVERYONE. It's a shame that we have to be that guarded, but we do what we do - don't we?

Finally got a hold of the report in an area paper.

http://www.pekintimes.com/articles/2...news/news5.txt

Apparently some of the details that I got from those who saw it aren't quite correct, but that's the price you pay for second hand info. But the basic story was still pretty much the same.

-Josh

Why do you assume the press got it correct?

Why do you assume they didn't?

Never believe anything you read at face value. That being said, (I did not read the article) the reporter is under a standard to attempt to be impartial, to followup with his/her sources, submit it to an editor for review and approval, plus I don't know what other controls a publication may have.

The hearsay is just that. Someone saw something and told someone else, who told someone else...well you know. I think I'll tend to lean towards the article being closer to the truth.