Ump Intentially Hit By Pitch?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

In my case, I was a young umpire, and I was shocked more than anything else at first. Then when it hit me it was intentional, I got really, really mad, and that is when I started getting people, though instead of starting with F2, I started with F1, then F2, and then the manager...

It happened to me in 2003 in a varsity HS game, but it wasn't as obvious as the catcher ducking the pitch. Plus, I really had no proof or backup from my dillweed partner, who just stood out at his position studying the daisies. The previous inning there was a close play at the plate that went against this team. The next inning the pitcher threw a fastball inside which missed the catcher's mitt by a couple inches and nailed me on the right forearm (I was in the slot in the scissors with a RH batter). I knew it was intentional, but if I would have ran F2, F1 and the smug little coach, it would have gotten ugly and I would have been perceived as a red-a$$ hothead. I told the coach that I knew it was intentional, which he of course denied. I also told F2 that if he let another ball touch me again for any reason that he would be very sorry he had. The ball never came close to me the rest of the game.

I probably should have ran the trio, but as has been said before, the shock of the situation, that "I can't believe this just happened" feeling took over and by the time I figured it out the timing was all wrong for ejecting. I wish I had been working with a partner with backbone who would have stepped in and said "hey Steve, that looked intentional to me too, let's run some people here."