Where to Draw the Line With Fans

[David B]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

Hello Folks,

I know it is really late in the East, but I am steaming mad. I've been injured for 3 months now, and just started calling games again. I really missed it. And usually I have no trouble with anyone at games. I'd like to think I am a quality umpire.

I'd like some opinions. I was working the plate in a college-level adult summer league, pretty good baseball. There are about 100 people in the stands.

Home team doesn't get a banger at 2B. The usual grumbling. Two pitches later I called a pitch a ball. Some guy yells from the stands: "We'll we're geting it both ****** ways now."

I really lost my temper. I went aboput 7-8 steps to the stands where I heard the comment from, and said: "If I hear something like that again I will find you and throw your sorry rear end out of here."

Two innings later, a player on t he home team (who is also a high school coach) decided to engage me in a discussion about my lack of professionalism and how I made an **** out of myself. I found out later it was his dad who said it. The guy also claimed his dad didn't use foul language (I guess obscene images are okay these days). I decided not to engage the person in any discussion, and the game went on. Game finished 2-1 home team lost.

Questions:

1. Was I unprofessional? In my opinion, no. I heard nothing else from the stands the whole night except for a snide remark or two as my partner and I left after the game. IMO just because I'm an umpire doesn't mean I have to put up with such abusive language from any stands. If there is 500 guys in the park, or it is a college game or HS game, I more than likely would have never head a thing. But 100 people is a different story.

2. Other than not saying anything, what other alternatives are there to what I did? Such crude language IMO can't be tolerated. Or is it simply I developed a momentary case of rabbit ears, and I'm just some old guy who has too thin a skin?

3. At this point in our rapidly eroding culture, is it time as umpires to just accept the fact that people are going to abuse us and say all kinds of garbage, and just ignore it, or get out?

Thanks for your answers and letting me let off some steam.

For an adult level game, yes it was probably over the line IMO.

You just have to do your job, that you are getting paid to do. Now, if someone in the stands were to threaten you, or challenge you to a fight etc., that might be different, but as far as just being an idiot, the umpires are fair game.

Of course it depends on your reputation in the area etc., but I've been known to engage the fans between innings in such games, just to let the idots know that I know who they are ... (g)

As for #2 question, yes our society has gone downhill. Now if a player or a coach engages in such behavior, its simply not tolerated, but the fans ...
as my old friend told me as a young umpire:

"they paid their dollar, let em holler"

Thanks
David