Where to Draw the Line With Fans

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE=jkumpire]Hello Folks,

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."

As others mentioned you should have not addressed the fan. IMO you have 2 choices:

1. Simply Ignore - Let's face it we are human (at least I think we are) and sometimes this becomes difficult therefore, I recommend number 2.

2. When a fan becomes unruly and is making life difficult then approach either the Home / Visiting coach (depending upon whose fan it is) and tell them either so and so goes or we stop here. If you do not get any help from the coaches, then stop the game, Go home (do not bother to change in the parking lot - get in your car and go)

In addition, (hopefully you have a unified umpires association who sticks up for one another) write up a report to your assignor. Generally speaking the kind of behavior you describe must go on every game whenever a close call goes against this particular team. Your assignor if he/she received other complaints should then refuse to service this league until they "clean-up their act".

We have 2 extremes meaning Stay away from doing the "rug-rats (ages 9 /10) and the adult mens leagues. Those particular leagues seem to have the most trouble.

Pete Booth