Another umpire assaulted

[Huskerblue]

Umpire sore after assault at game
BY SUSAN SZALEWSKI
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A suburban baseball game between 12-year-olds ended with an Omaha umpire knocked to the ground and a parent ticketed on suspicion of misdemeanor assault.

Umpire Charles Andersen said he was "body slammed" to the ground Saturday by an angry parent after two angry coaches had sandwiched him between them, pushing him and bumping him with their bodies.

Andersen said he still had a headache, stiff neck and sore body Monday night from the incident. The injury caused him to miss officiating at baseball games Sunday and work on Monday, he said, but he was able to umpire at a game Monday evening.

During thousands of games over his seven or so years as an umpire, Andersen said, he occasionally has seen the wrath of players, coaches and parents. And he has feared that someday they might go too far. That happened Saturday after the tournament game between the teams from Gretna and Ashland, he said.

Umpires make mistakes, Andersen said, but no one should ever answer with violence. He lamented that four teams of 12-year-olds - two leaving a game and two arriving for the next game - witnessed the bad behavior of adults who are supposed to be role models. "All those players were watching," he said.

The parent and coaches involved in the incident could not be reached Monday night for comment.

Andersen said that some of the players, coaches and fans from the Gretna team had acted disrespectfully toward him and his fellow umpire during the game, and officials were able to handle the problems without ejecting anyone from the game.

When the team's last batter was at the plate, Andersen said, the batter jumped out of the batter's box and questioned the ball-strike count, saying "No, it's a 3-and-1 count."

"Yes, it's a 3-and-1 count," Andersen said he yelled back. And he said he yelled for the boy to get back in the batter's box because the youth did not call time out. The player swung and missed at the next pitch and popped out on the last one.

The confrontation followed immediately after the last play, Andersen said.

He said that after he was knocked to the ground he heard one parent say that it was too bad that he was still alive. "This is how angry people act over a baseball game?" he asked.

Others came to his defense by calling 911 and moving in to protect him, Andersen said.

The game was played at a field near 192nd and West Dodge Road. The boys' baseball leagues and Metro Umpires, an organization that trains and schedules umpires, will likely investigate what happened Saturday, said Denny Jones, chief of Metro Umpires.

"Baseball has its rules, and sanctions will likely be issued," Jones said Monday night. He said he was gathering reports from witnesses.

"Baseball is supposed to be fun for children," Jones said. "A lot of great parenting and coaching is being overshadowed by this."