Have you ever been assaulted at a game?

[ajjl22]

Originally Posted by Stripes1950

While I have never been assaulted as an official, I have witnessed a couple of very uncomfortable situations. The first was when my partner was chased to his car by an irate player who felt he was done wrong on an out call at the plate to end the game. He (the player) was reported and suspended for the remainder of the season. This was in men's fast pitch softball about twenty years ago. I was the plate umpire in a situation which can only be described as a "church league softball fistfight." I stood with my back to the backstop and watched as both teams duked it out. What would Jesus do? Lord, he wouldn't do that! Like the high hard one on the oh and two. After reports were written and submitted, I heard that both teams were ejected from the league and some players were suspended for life. I do remember one player laying on the ground and being kicked in the head. No one came near me but I had my mask in my right hand and would not have hesitated to use it. It truly was a horrible night.

Every year my association helps out a local fire dept. with a charity 16" softball tournament for local fire departments. We get 20-25 umps a year to donate their time and get free beer and food. I had the dish in an elimination game later in the day. their was a runner on second. there was a grounder to short that was bobbled, the guy on 2nd decided he was trying to score on the play. the ball beat him by 15 feet. The runner lowered his shoulder and took out the catcher (remember no gear!) a fight ensused and the guy was pummelled. My partner and I escaped out the other dugout. Both teams were kicked out of the tournament.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Former major leaguer Eddie Williams threatened to kick my a$$ after the game when I called him out on strikes in a NABA game. I ejected him for that. After the game, I'm getting undressed at my car, and he comes driving up in his new white Porsche, gets out, and comes up to me and apologizes for his actions. We stood there talking and got some good laughs about stuff that happens in the heat of battle.

Later that season, Williams was signed by the Padres and had a fairly productive stint with the big club.

[UmpJM]

ajjl22,

"The runner lowered his shoulder and took out the catcher (remember no gear!) a fight ensused and the guy was pummelled."

I see you live in the greater Chicagoland area.

I don't suppose this game was between a North Side fire department team and a South Side fire department team, by any chance?

JM

[NFump]

From what Steve said, the guy wasn't a big leaguer at that time. Notice he said " Later that season, Williams was signed by the Padres and had a fairly productive stint with the big club. "

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by PWL

No player with big league experience is allowed to play in NABA until they have been officially retired from playing for five years. This is done so teams will not load up with ex-pro ball players when they got to Phoenix.

He played in the NABA league prior to being called up by the Padres. At the time he was a former AAA player who didn't get a shot until "discovered" playing in the NABA league.

I have umpired many former big leaguers in the NABA league after their careers had been over for quite some time. But Williams was on his way up, not down.

[NFump]

Good question. Steve?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by PWL

What year would that be?

You know, I'm not sure. Somewhere in the mid-90's. I don't keep a journal, just going by faulty memory. I could look up Eddie Williams' career stats and find out, as it was the same year as his first as a Padre.

[BigUmp56]

Eddie Williams did his first stint in the Majors for 5 games with the Indians in 1986. He first played for the Padres in 1990 for only 14 games.


Tim.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Okay, I looked it up.

Williams began his big league "career" so to speak, in 1986 with Cleveland, where he had a cup of coffee each year, 86-88. Traded to the White Sox in 89, then to the Padres in 1990, where he played in only 14 games.

Out of baseball until discovered playing in the NABA league in San Diego in 1994. He was re-signed by the Padres and played in 49 games that year. He played for the Padres in 1995 and was traded to the Tigers in '96, then in '97 he was traded to the LA Dodgers, but only played 8 games for the big club there. He was traded to the Pirates in '97 and back to the Padres in '98. He played his last major league game on May 17, 1998. He was cut after batting .143 in 17 games. This was also the year that the Padres were NL Champions and got whooped by the Yankees in the Series.

So it was 1994.

[radwaste50]

Only had one fan be very obnoxious following all the way to car yelling insults and threats. The best part of this was as I dropped chest protector in trunk removed shins, and retrieved notebook to wright his comments down. He decided to step from his car. At this point I hung my shield around my neck and put on my shoulder harness. It got real quiet.