Umpire attacked
 

The events happened Friday night, 31 March.

4A (second largest Texas school) district game
Teams are tied for first place.
Home 3, Visitors 0.
Bottom of third, R1, R2.
"Thoughts" attributed to the umpires were communicated to me as the State Board member for this area.

The visiting pitcher in the set position gets his sign, lifts his non-pivot foot, and then resets it. Both umpires call "Time. That's a balk!" The predominately home crowd begins to chant "Balk! Balk!" The catcher stands up, but the pitcher continues and releases the ball. The home plate umpire believes the ball is headed in his direction, so he tries to back away, trips, and falls on his back. Coaches and trainers rush to his aid.

MEANWHILE: The pitcher turns to the base umpire and asks, softly: "F**k was wrong with that?"

The base umpire says: "You don't need the bad language. You double set."

Says the pitcher, louder: "That's a bullsh!t call, Blue."

Base umpire: "I told you to keep that language to yourself."

Pitcher, still louder: "I don't care. It's f**king bullsh!t."

Base umpire, not loud: "You're ejected."

He begins walking toward the knot of people attending to the plate umpire, now on his feet.

The pitcher yells, screaming obscenities, and heads for the base umpire. His two coaches grab him before he reaches the umpire and wrestle him away. He continues to scream, then breaks free, rushes to the home plate umpire, and with both hands knocks him off his feet and onto his back. This time, his head cracks hard into the ground.

The boy's father comes from the stands, grabs his son ("Are you nuts? What's wrong with you?") and, with the help of a coach, manages to get him off the field and into the family car.

The plate umpire cannot continue behind the plate. The umpires switch positions and finish the game. Visitors, down 3 at the time, win 13-6.

The UIL requires each school to have an administrator at every game, freshman through varsity. The administrator in charge conferred with the umpires, and asked a question of the plate umpire, which is the point of this post:

"Could you forfeit this game because of that behavior?"

Assume the answer is "yes."

My question: Should the PU forfeit?

I would be awefully hard pressed to forfeit a game, punishing an entire team, for the actions of one out of control player. From your description it sounds like the coaches did everything they could to contain this player. So, my short answer would be no.


Tim.

I wouldn't forfeit the game, although I would be tempted (if it's allowed) to SUSPEND the game since the plate umpire seemed to get injured fairly badly -- if he can't finish behind the plate he shouldn't have finished on the bases, either.

Is it possible to suspend the game and allow the league/conference to decide?

And I thought I had an exciting day today with my college DH with the 24-1 game in the nightcap.

i dont think id take the game away from the other 40 or so players and coaches involved. the coaches did what they could, but the kid needs serious help if hes going to act like that in a game.

i agree with rich though: im not entirely sure about switching positions to finish the game. if i got slammed down to the ground and smacked my head hard enough that i didnt feel well enough to finish behind the plate, im not going to run around out on the bases for the next few innings.

I don' think a forfeit is in order here. But maybe a suspension is, and let the conference sort it out. If PU can't continue as PU how can he continue as BU?

Play ball
 

I cannot see a forfeit after three complete innings of play. Perhaps if it were after five innings or if order could not be restored. I would probably suspend the game for thirty minutes to allow both sides an opportunity to cool down. It may also help the umpire who was injured in the attack to regain his composure. I would definitely not put up with any other shenanigans after the physical contact occurred. I would request that the school administrators request additional security personnel.

I would also have another plate conference before resuming the ballgame. Both coaches will be on notice that the ejection threshold will be much shorter. Coaches must understand that if ejected, they will have to schedule a trip to explain their actions to UIL officials in Austin, TX. If a player is ejected, they may be subject to suspension from school for insubordinate behavior, as well.

Kudos to his father for his actions to take responsibility for his son. I would be hard-pressed to allow such behavior to go unpunished. I think the umpire's association would be within their rights to request from the athletic director that the one player's elgibility be forfeited for the rest of the season. The visiting team may have won the game, but I think they should lose the player.

C2, I'da Stagger Lee'd that sucker.

Dave
****

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.

One player on the team had what borders on a psychotic episode.

If it were up to me, the player would be suspended for at least the remainder of the season.

If I were his parent, I would have him tested for steroid (and other drug) abuse. The behavior strikes me as symptomatic of "roid rage".

If I were his coach, he would be off the team. Period.

JM

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

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.

And if I were the umpire, I would be wondering where the police were -- in order to arrest him for battery.

The umpire, at my urging, filed assault charges yesterday. His coach removed him from the team. No doubt there will be other repercussions.

In my 50+ years of baseball, that is the only instance I've encountered when a prep player attacked an umpire. (In football, basketball, soccer, yes; in baseball, never, until last Friday.)

My question: How did a 16-year-old "skinny" kid (he was so described to me) break free from the grasp of two adult coaches?

The coaches probably didn't think he would really attack an umpire.

It's a sad story, but sounds like it's an isolated one in your area. If we step back and think about it, this kind of thing WILL happen from time to time. People and their emotions are involved and thankfully most people that play (and are around) baseball have a good understanding of right and wrong.

Yet there are still enough stories that I've taken to calling Referee magazine "Softball, Soccer, and Assault Stories Monthly."

I am in total agreement with everyone who says that forfeiture is too harsh a penalty for the act of one psycho player. How might this equation be different if the head coach did the pushing? Any thoughts?

What a tragically unfortunate incident for all involved,
particularly the official. Kudos to him for filing charges
against his attacker.
I cannot help but wonder if behavior such as this is
emboldened by what seems to me to be a deteriorating
respect of umpires from fans in attendance of games. The
comments from the peanut gallery lately seem more vitriolic,
caustic,and down-right nasty. I understand the necessity of
ignoring things you hear from the crowd, but you DO hear them.
I never react to them, except recently when a guy cussed and
threatened me, but lately even blue-hairs have been ugly to my
partners and myself.
I suppose if you paid your pittance for entry, you're free to bash
whomever and whatever you desire. I find it sad, at best.:(

Garth,

While I do believe the conditions I mentioned <b>are</b> grounds for a forfeit, I do not believe they are the <b>only</b> 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

forfeit the darn game
 

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.

I don't work baseball, but I do basketball and football in Texas, and the rule of thumb is to NEVER "forfeit" a game, but "suspend" the game. That gives the district committee (or UIL) the opportunity to make a decision and take you out of the loop.

Now, when I say "never," I'm talking about situations like this, not situations where a team refuses to play, walks off the field, etc. Of course, even then, you can err on the side of absolute safety by telling the other coach the game is suspended and writing as much on the lineup card and scorebook (or whereever you need to).

I am in total agreement that there is never any excuse for a player, regardless of age and / or level of play, to ever assault or batter an official. No excuse! Most states now have felony level laws against assault / battery of an official, but officials and schools have to file the appropriate complaint to initiate and then probably testify in court when its time. Trying to "lock up" a kid, especially after we have all been indoctrinated by state associations about how we are part of the educational process, the game is for the kids, etc., etc., is not something many officials / administrators will do.

Separate from this issue, let me ask about the original Balk Call. It most baseball I've officiated and watched, a pitcher goes to the set position with his pivot foot in front of the rubber and his nonpivot foot in front, with hands separated. AFTER getting the signal, the pitcher resets the nonpivot foot back toward the rubber while bringing their hands together. So, was the original call truly a Balk, or not? Did the pitcher actually fully set before the foot movement? Guess you had to be there.

For a while, I thought I was the only one in favor of forfeiting the game. I agree with the fundamental premise of trying to keep players/managers in the game, make every effort to allow a game to continue, etc., but there has to be a reasonable limit to things. I'm not criticizing the officiating crew that was on the scene, but I would not have continued the game had I been in either umpire's position.

Just my $.02.

I already replied on whether a forfeit should have been made, but I based my comment on the assumption that it could in this situation, per Carl's suggestion.

"Could you forfeit this game because of that behavior?"

"Assume the answer is "yes.""

Now I am interested in what rule would be applied to forfeit the game. This does not appear to be a condition specifically mentioned in the rules to permit a forfeit. Any ideas?

DG, you make a very good point. I did some checking in the NFHS book, & here's what I came up with:

Rule 4-4-1 is written (at least the way I'm reading it) to address actions by the entire team. From that, my inference is the closest you could get would be 4-4-1(e), based on the requirement to address profanity, unsportsmanlike behavior, etc. at the plate conference. I also think that you would have some difficulties with appeals or other challenges to this.

That said, I think that 10-2-3(f,g) might actually be appropriate here. For a game forfeited under this rule, you'd need some very strong support at the state level. Probably the most effective way to do this would be for the state-level association to advise the different school divisions in some sort of a 'shot across the bow.' Specifically, this could take the form of an unequivocal message to the effect of, 'If this continues, umpires will either develop a hair-trigger for ejecting players/coaches, or schools identified as having problems with compliance will be removed from the schedule.'

For those who think that's an extreme response, I agree. Something like that shouldn't be hauled out unless it's absolutely necessary. I also believe that the above is not the only solution to the problem. I'm sure others have some great ideas on how to address this, and I look forward to reading them.

Just my $.02.

Personally, I would be more inclined to suspend the game and defer an actual forfeiture to the State Association. They may have knowledge about similar situations / behaviors involving the same (or different) team(s) that I do not have. A suspended game can always be resumed or forfeited, while a forfeiture may be more difficult to reverse.

Rule 10-2-2 should cover it sufficiently. Plus, anyone assaulting an official here goes to jail, juvenile or adult.

After reading the replies by blueskyblue & SanDiegoSteve, I'd have to agree that suspension of the game would probably be the best avenue. It gets both officials out of a very volatile situation & also keeps you from being the 'bad guy' (well, at least this time!).:D

Thanks.

No, you don't have to be there. The description is of an event that happens regularly in prep ball. The pitcher has leaned in for his sign, agreed, and moves his foot to come to the set position, then changes his mind and drops his foot back down. It's a "let's go, wait a minute" motion and is a balk anywhere, anytime.

Papa C IMO the first thing that should have been done is call 911. I am assuming Texas is like NY.

Over the years our assignor has told us that the days of "being Mr. Nice guy" are over. We do not need to take abuse. As coaches/ players/fans see people doing a night in jail plus "other" type fines should cause them to think before they act in the future.

I have a question?

It has been my experience that unless a kid has emotional type problems (and even if he does), that this isn't the first time this kid acted that way. Did "other" umpires turn a "Blind eye" in dealing with this kid before. I am not saying that he "clocked" someone before but perhaps he was restrained in prior games or yelled obsentities at officials and nothing was done.

Now to the ultimate question? Should the PU have forfeited the game.

My answer YES

and if the "powers that be" overturned the forfeit, then the umpires association of that league should stick together and refuse to service them again.

Now to Reality and the Major Problem:

As we have seen Umpires are their own worst enemies, meaning there will almost always be some umpire or some umpire association willing to take the Game FEE and service the League. We are seeing this now with the minor League umpires. Someone will do those games.

Therefore, if ALL umpires or umpire associations are not on the "same page" incidents such as yours will happen.

Pete Booth

10-2-2 just gives sole authority to UIC to forfeit a game, but it does not say what conditions merit forfeit. Most of the reasons to forfeit are covered in 4-4-1. Without whipping out 10-3g, state another rule that specifically gives the UIC the rule he needs to call a forfeit for this situation. And while the player should go to jail, I am not aware of a rule that says that a game shall be forfeited if any game participants have been arrested.

Excuse me while I whip this out.........10-2-3g.

There is nothing written in the rules about a player shooting someone either, but I'm sure that would stop the game in its tracks anyway. This rule lets us rule on anything not specifically covered in the rules, so we lean on it in this case. It is the FED equivalent to 9.01(C), better known as the God rule.

Whether the game was suspended or forfieted, in no way would I have continued to umpire it.

I asked you not to to whip out 10-3g (although I now recognize I left out the 2 as in 10-2-3g. But you knew what I was talking about and did it anyway. Nobody got shot so your example of a potential use of 10-2-3g is irrelevant. An umpire got pushed to the ground by a player already ejected. I got my answer from you. You would use 10-2-3g to forfeit the game, and I would not.

And I'm saying that, no, there is no "specific" rule covering this "exact" situation, just as there is no "specific" rule dealing with a player shooting someone. It was an example. When you don't have a specific rule to deal with something, you then have to use "common sense." I did not say that I would use this to forfeit a game, but I think you can use it to forfeit a game.

10-2-2 says that the UIC is the sole authority to forfeit a game, and has jurisdiction on anything not covered in 10-2-1, which contains a list of generic authorities he has at his disposal. If he can forfeit a game because a team is late, or willfully and persistently violates a rule, I think it is well within his scope to forfeit a game for an assault on an official, a much more serious offense.

This brings back painful memories for me. Simply put, Carl, were it my game, I would do the same thing that I did 4 years ago. Help my partner up from the field, help him to his car, dial 911 and get a policeman there! I would never, NEVER return to the field under any circumstances!

I agree that the game cannot continue after the assault of an official. I would say the same thing about any high school athletic contest.

I also agree that suspending the game would be the right move. In the heat of the moment, I'm sure I would be tempted to forfeit. But that's a blunt weapon: and there's some justice in the claim that this individual's actions should not determine the fate of the entire team.

The advantage of suspension is this: if cooler heads determine that forfeit is the right way to go, it can always be applied afterwards. On the other hand, it is (as someone noted) much more difficult to reverse a forfeit.

I would NEVER declare a forfeit here. Suspend the game and let someone else make the decision to forfeit.

Clearer heads prevailed . . .
 

It seems to me, based on all the information presented, that the two umpires decided that, excluding the assailant, everyone remained in control of themselves and did their best to prevent any further problems.
Call the police.
Arrest the assailant.
Remove him from the area.
But, if the umpires were comfortable continuing, I am in their corner. I don't see ANY reason to forfeit.
Even the assailants dad ( a parent ??? ) was upset at and disapproved of his son's actions.
It just sounds like everyone execpt the assailant was in the right frame of mind.
Play baseball.
After all, isn't that why we are there?

Thanks for clarifying the "moved foot" part - now I see it!