Plate Umpire ejects himself in 3rd inning

[timharris]

Hello

I have been involved in officiating 3 sports for a number of years but i have never heard of this before. During and American Legion tournament game this past weekend a umpire walked off the field in the bottom of the 3rd inning because the fans and players were so horrible. Basically the fans and players
got to him. I always use the philosophy the more they yell the harder im gonna umpire the ball game and show them just how good i really am. The umpire did mention to the coach that he needs to get the crowd and players under control and he didnt, so the umpire basically ejected himself from the ball game. Has anyone else ever encountered and incident like this before? How would you have handled the situation that unfolded in this game?

Thanks

[David B]

Originally Posted by timharris

Hello

I have been involved in officiating 3 sports for a number of years but i have never heard of this before. During and American Legion tournament game this past weekend a umpire walked off the field in the bottom of the 3rd inning because the fans and players were so horrible. Basically the fans and players
got to him. I always use the philosophy the more they yell the harder im gonna umpire the ball game and show them just how good i really am. The umpire did mention to the coach that he needs to get the crowd and players under control and he didnt, so the umpire basically ejected himself from the ball game. Has anyone else ever encountered and incident like this before? How would you have handled the situation that unfolded in this game?

Thanks

Another fine example of an umpire getting asked to do a tourney game who is simply "Not qualified" to call the game.

Happens every summer in every age group because of the shortage of umpires.

We have two state tournaments this week in our area for HS age kids and I was amazed at some of the umpires who were asked to call. They had asked me to call but my son is still playing his games but in retrospect I'm glad I did not work the games because the guys were not qualified to call that level of ball.

But it happens everywhere this time of the year.

Thanks
David

[mcrowder]

Funny.

Just yesterday someone here was advocating exactly this - if the crowd is bugging you, ask the coach to put a stop to it and if he doesn't, leave.

Good to see that now that we have a concrete example of someone doing this, this umpire is being ridiculed for it. That's how I felt yesterday.

[LMan]

Yep. One day its, "Dont take that crap as an umpire!". Next, its "you gotta be tougher than that!" Now we dont know exactly what 'abuse' was going on in this game, so HTBT prevails.


I think that there has to be a line beyond which an umpire will not go. Some are obvious like personal threats, etc. But if the game becomes unmanagable and the on-site authorities will not take effective action, then the UIC has to be prepared to walk. And not look back.

[Carbide Keyman]

Originally Posted by timharris

Hello

I have been involved in officiating 3 sports for a number of years but i have never heard of this before. During and American Legion tournament game this past weekend a umpire walked off the field in the bottom of the 3rd inning because the fans and players were so horrible. Basically the fans and players
got to him. I always use the philosophy the more they yell the harder im gonna umpire the ball game and show them just how good i really am. The umpire did mention to the coach that he needs to get the crowd and players under control and he didnt, so the umpire basically ejected himself from the ball game. Has anyone else ever encountered and incident like this before? How would you have handled the situation that unfolded in this game?

Thanks

I have had a partner walk off the field after a blistering tirade from a coach (BTW, I tossed the coach and the assistant under the Three P rule: personal, prolonged,and profane).

I don't see myself ever abandoning my game responsibilities due to the harangue of fans, players, or coaches. I am not going to let the ba$tard$ think they beat me.

Fans and assistant coaches really don't exist in my world. The Tournament Director should be on top of controlling the fans. Ejections are for controlling the players and coaching staff.

Limited contact as possible with game participants and the Three P's for ejections have served me in good stead. Plus, I'm a stubborn Scot.



Doug

[Sky Popper]

As to the players, the ump should warn and then start ejecting them. If they don't leave, the ump can call a forfeit under 4.15(f).

As to the fans, different leagues have different procedures. Many allow the umpire to order an unruly fan to leave. In any event, there should be a tournament official present to deal with inappropriate fan behavior.

As you all have noted, umpires need training and experience to deal with these situations.

Thanks,

Dennis

[Carbide Keyman]

Originally Posted by Sky Popper

As to the players, the ump should warn and then start ejecting them. If they don't leave, the ump can call a forfeit under 4.15(f).

As to the fans, different leagues have different procedures. Many allow the umpire to order an unruly fan to leave. In any event, there should be a tournament official present to deal with inappropriate fan behavior.

As you all have noted, umpires need training and experience to deal with these situations.

Thanks,

Dennis

The better you are, the more training and experience you have, the less likely these situations will rear their ugly heads. Good umpires generally have good games.




Doug

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Carbide Keyman

I have had a partner walk off the field after a blistering tirade from a coach (BTW, I tossed the coach and the assistant under the Three P rule: personal, prolonged,and profane).

I don't see myself ever abandoning my game responsibilities due to the harangue of fans, players, or coaches. I am not going to let the ba$tard$ think they beat me.

Fans and assistant coaches really don't exist in my world. The Tournament Director should be on top of controlling the fans. Ejections are for controlling the players and coaching staff.

Limited contact as possible with game participants and the Three P's for ejections have served me in good stead. Plus, I'm a stubborn Scot.



Doug

If a partner walks, I walk with him.

[JRutledge]

This sounds like a situation where an umpire probably worked too many games over long period of time. This is why I hardly work summer baseball at all and when really nothing counts the same or gets the same publicity as during the spring time.

Also we do not know the entire situation. We do not know what issues the umpire had to deal with or what the fans were saying to him. He might have had enough and did not care about the consequences. After all we are not talking about the Majors here. He might have been working just for the money and what was taking place was not worth it anymore.

Peace

[Carbide Keyman]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

If a partner walks, I walk with him.

Rich,

Point well taken.

I didn't think his reaction was warranted. BUT, your view is valid.

I should have gone with him.




Doug

[PeteBooth]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Funny.

Just yesterday someone here was advocating exactly this - if the crowd is bugging you, ask the coach to put a stop to it and if he doesn't, leave.

Good to see that now that we have a concrete example of someone doing this, this umpire is being ridiculed for it. That's how I felt yesterday.

You are talking Apples and Oranges.

Yesterday's post delt with an adult mens league game or more commonly referred to as a Rec game. Quite different from


During an American Legion tournament game

2 totally different circumstances.

Pete Booth

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

You are talking Apples and Oranges.

Yesterday's post delt with an adult mens league game or more commonly referred to as a Rec game. Quite different from


During an American Legion tournament game

2 totally different circumstances.

Pete Booth

With respect to the topic at hand, I humbly disagree 100%. It doesn't matter who is ON the field - your dealings (or lack thereof) with those OUTSIDE the fences should be minimal or nonexistant, and simply up-and-leaving if you don't like a particular comment (as in the rec league posting) is just as ridiculous in either setting.

[nickrego]

In a standard game, I have informed coaches that if they did not get the crowd under control, I would stop the game, and they would have to continue it at a later date (all associations back us on this).

For a Tourney, unless the crowd was getting violent, I would not stop a game, or leave. I would however, inform the director before my next game of what was happening.

At some point though, you do have to consider safety, when deciding to continue a game with an unruly crowd. Just look at what happens at soccer & hockey games. Most parents are sitting around with lots of Road Rage built up in them, just waiting to get out.

[bluezebra]

Tournament game. Where are the people running the tourney? Hiding? I never worked a baseball or softball tournament where there were no officials at, or near, the fields.

Bob

[gsf23]

Never seen an umpire eject himself from a game. I have seen an umpire appeal a check-swing to himself though.