Is there a Dr. in da house

[tiger49]

How would you guys handle the situation? Personally I would tell the coach when he gives me his replacement right after the injury so both the coach and the ATC know that he is not coming back unless there is a note from an MD. From the original post it sounded as if the umpire stayed silent on the situation, thus creating the confusion.

In Ontario we do have a similar procedure in place, however it is enforced by the school staff as it calls for the athlete not to participate in any activity until cleared. Activity means practice and/or game and the athlete sits out until cleared not just for the day.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally Posted by Hartee14

Unless you see the athlete laying there unconscious and they have to do CPR or mouth to mouth breathing, there is no reason not to let them return.

I'm a basketball and football ref, not a baseball umpire, but I check things out over here from time to time. That said, the rule is written the same in basketball and baseball at the Fed level.

Being unconscious, per the rules, is the determination of the game official - not anyone else. If there is any hint of LOC, I'm calling the player unconscious. Your individual judgment may differ, but PLEASE do not think that someone needs airway support or CPR in order to be unconscious. In most cases where someone loses consciousness, they are still breathing on their own!

[jdmara]

No way would I ever allow an athlete participate after an injury to the head. I have had head injuries and it's not worth the risk

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jdmara

No way would I ever allow an athlete participate after an injury to the head. I have had head injuries and it's not worth the risk

You mean after an injury that rendered the athlete (apparently) unconscious, right?

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

You mean after an injury that rendered the athlete (apparently) unconscious, right?

Of course! That is what we are chatting about. I respect Certified Trainers but the rules are pretty straight forward on who can make the authorization.

-Josh

[SAump]

Originally Posted by Hartee14

I would have said the same thing. The ATC would then have to take that up with the powers to be.

The fact of the matter is I hope this hardly ever happens to anyone because it is one of those situations where you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Welcome. Coach, administration, or police officials may understand how the UIC felt too. No one here saw the blow, nor the batter's reactions afterward. The UIC was w/in 6 feet away. Perhaps, it provided him with a more accurate assessment or it may have clouded his best judgment.

Perhaps F2 was an impt. link to victory and this ATC was "too-close" to the action. I think you felt strongly enough for the ATC that you have given him a proper voice. At my school, our ATC is "Doc" and "we" send kids w/ injuries to see him. This guy practically lives at the school and spends as much time there as the principals. He is the first line of response to any athletic injuries needing emergency treatment. I doubt I have ever seen an actual physician treat an injury during my time there. Perhaps this ATC was right, but what happens next, couldn't he just let it go? The ATC was still "ventilating" about it.

If anything, this event was an eye-opener into the type of responsibility placed on our shoulders. Thanks for the comments. Perhaps, those of us lacking experience with either the rule, or the "people" skills to handle something of this magnitude may take notice here. It boils down to possible LOC or not, and then seperate verdicts from 2 very reliable witnesses.

Have a great season.

[ODJ]

Originally Posted by Hartee14

I would have said the same thing. The ATC would then have to take that up with the powers to be.

But, my 2 cents. We are umpires. At the end of the day, whether we are doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc, when we are on the field, WE ARE UMPIRES. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS, ATHLETIC TRAINERS, etc. If you have a Certified Athletic Trainer at the game, you need to let them make the decisions. Who am I to tell an ATC that the player who just got hit should not return to the game? That is not my call. That is his/her call. That is what they get paid for. Unless you see the athlete laying there unconscious and they have to do CPR or mouth to mouth breathing, there is no reason not to let them return. I think the umpire made the wrong call.

An AT is NOT an MD/OD. Give me the official letterhead from an MD that says the kid can play.

[BoomerSooner]

I know I'm late into the discussion, but I agree with the general concept that the rule should be followed to the letter. Loss of consciousness = signed release from MD/DO.

What I don't agree with, however, is some the posters that have implied that any signs, symptoms, or similarities to a head injury require a doctor's release. I understand the concept of better safe than sorry, but just because a kid takes a pitch to the head and takes a second to get up doesn't mean he was unconscious. Just because a kid takes a pitch has a knot on his forehead, doesn't mean there is a loss of consciousness. I'm sorry, but for all the preaching about following the letter of the law, there seem to be alot of posters that want to declare a kid unconscious just to be safe rather than because he was actually unconscious. This is just my interpretation of what others are saying. If we are going to play the better safe than sorry angle then shouldn't we be requiring full neuroloical work-ups including EEG, CT scans, etc? The purpose of the rule is to protect the kids, not the umpires.