Umpire attacked

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

As reprehensible as the player's actions were, a ruled forfeit of the game does not strike me as the appropriate penalty.

A forfeit is the appropriate penalty when a team is either unable to (e.g., insufficent eligible players to field a team) or refuses to continue playing the game. That's not what happened here.



JM

Do you feel that those are the only grounds for a forfeit?

[jxt127]

Well just as a start there was absolutly nothing about the pitchers actions that resemble a psychitoc episode in any way shape or form.

If the teams did not seem to be under control after the incident I would suspend the game. Let the league sort it out. But if it just seems to be the one player losing control and no general undercurrent of anger then play on. Both teams would be on a short leash.

As for the PU moving to BU I'd have to trust that he felt ok to do that. On the other hand I'd certainly say there is no problem with suspending the game for it either. My judgement on this part of it kind of suspect since I've been knocked out three times in sports (twice in hockey, once in softball) and stayed in the game after. Not the sharpest when it come to that.

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Do you feel that those are the only grounds for a forfeit?

Garth,

While I do believe the conditions I mentioned are grounds for a forfeit, I do not believe they are the only grounds for a forfeit. I'll admit that it's beyond me to articulate a comprehensive statement of what would constitute grounds for a forfeit.

The best I can come up with would be along the lines of...

repeated blatant acts which demonstrate a complete disregard for the rules of the game in a way that precludes the game from being fairly played.

For example, if one team's pitchers repeatedly intentionally threw at the other team's batters or one team's runners repeatedly committed malicious contact on the other team's fielders.

Of course, I would also consider the use of ineligible players as possible grounds for a forfeit, which doesn't exactly fit my description.

I'm sure there are other cases people could suggest that my statement wouldn't cover.

JM

[btdt]

If it isn’t appropriate to forfeit when an umpire is physically attacked by a player then it never is.

Physically attacking a person is a crime every where I have been. Why would criminal behavior not be a bases for forfeit?

If physically attacking an official carries the same penalty as cussing ….. something is very wrong.

As for not wanting to penalize the players and coaches ….. this is a team game and the team reaps the rewards together and it used to be they accepted the penalties together. Anything less is enabling bad things to happen. Life is tough, better to learn it now rather than after robbing a 7-11.

There could be absolutely no reason NOT to forfeit the game. Making excuses and reasons on the other side is just enabling future problems by sending the message that that the penalties are only a minor inconvenience.

#1:Forfeit the darn game and perhaps in the future coaches will institute control over their teams.

#2: Call the police and have the young man arrested and prosecuted.

#3: Anything less just reinforces that there are no consequences

Don’t give them amnesty. The level of the game, or the importance of the game, should not come into decision making. This is a high school game and you are supposed to be building future citizens, not enabling criminal behavior. Someone, sometime has to teach them that in life, “ for negative actions there are negative consequences”. It sure is obvious no one has taught them that so far.

As for kicking the kid off the team and other punishments…. not any of my business …. My business is on the playing field and does not extend outside the fences or after the game.