Parents Say The Darndest Things

[jwwashburn]

A few years ago, my partner and I were working our 5th game on a very hot day...a couple of guys were sick and two turned ankles...The UIC was a friend...no way would I have orked this many games in one day otherwise.

Anyway, U14...Championship game of COURSE goes into the 12th inning. No runs since about the 3rd or 4th.

In the bottom of the 12th, the first two batters strike out swinging. The 3rd batter walked and stole second. After the second pitch to the batter, the catcher threw the ball over the pitcher's head and it rolled past second base...winning run scores.

A parent yells(then echoed by at least two others: That's how you're gonna let it end Blue? How much did they pay you?

If anyone can TOP that for stupidity, I want to hear it. Notice I said TOP it. I do not believe it can be done.

Joe In Missouri

[Mrumpiresir]

Last week I'm behind the plate working a Jr High game. Pitcher is throwing maybe 50 mph - slow pitches with a big arc. He throws two that are well inside, and just miss the batter who stands there without moving. On the third pitch batter raises his front arm into the pitch and starts toward first base. I tell the batter to get back in the box, no award of first because he intentionally moved into the pitch. Then I hear his father yelling "Get hit in the head next time so I can take, you to the hospital and decide which umpire to go after". Father then comes to the backstop demanding to know my name. All the time I'm wondering "What is this idiot talking about?" I didn't throw the pitch that hit him and am applying the rule as written.
In retrospect, I think he coaches his son to "take one for the team" and was outraged that his little plan did not work.

This guy gets my vote for Moron of the Year. I don' know if this tops your situation Joe, but it comes close.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Baseball parenting is the one area in which the brightest people prove their depth and intelligence by not speaking.

[johnnyg08]

We were working a game last night and a head coach was telling us that he has parents in the stands calling their kid's pitches from the stands.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Baseball parenting is the one area in which the brightest people prove their depth and intelligence by not speaking.

There's a lot more than one area...

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Matt

There's a lot more than one area...

You mean comedy's another.

[jwwashburn]

Yeah, you have a moron...but my morons are so much more moronic than your morons....you should be ashamed of yourself at the piddily little moron that you have!

[ManInBlue]

jw, you cheated those boys out of a chance to win. You caused the first 2 to miss the ball, then YOU walked the next batter, THEN you threw the ball into center field. To top that YOU didn't call the runner out at home when it was perfectly clear to me that the catcher didn't even have the ball.

I hope you are thoroughly ashamed of the job you did during that game.

I'd love to try to top that, but I can't. The best I get is the typical "good game, blue" with an ever so slight hint of sarcasm. The one time that comes to mind...it was some how MY fault that the losing (home) team had 6 or 8 errors, 4 by the centerfielder in one inning (ball literally hit his glove and fell out). But I AM the one that cost them the game.

OH! One more, rec league not good ball at all. 2 teams from the same town. Some mom yells out some odd ball "your cheating" comment. I stop and ask "It's Calhoun City versus Calhuon City, who the hell am I cheating for?" It was nice and quiet the rest of the game.

[umpjong]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

Anyway, U14...Championship game of COURSE goes into the 12th inning. No runs since about the 3rd or 4th.

4 balls and 3 balks sends you home in the bottom of the 7th...

[DG]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

A few years ago, my partner and I were working our 5th game on a very hot day...a couple of guys were sick and two turned ankles...The UIC was a friend...no way would I have orked this many games in one day otherwise.

Anyway, U14...Championship game of COURSE goes into the 12th inning. No runs since about the 3rd or 4th.

In the bottom of the 12th, the first two batters strike out swinging. The 3rd batter walked and stole second. After the second pitch to the batter, the catcher threw the ball over the pitcher's head and it rolled past second base...winning run scores.

A parent yells(then echoed by at least two others: That's how you're gonna let it end Blue? How much did they pay you?

If anyone can TOP that for stupidity, I want to hear it. Notice I said TOP it. I do not believe it can be done.

Joe In Missouri

I can't top this one, but the last coach who mentioned pay to me got tossed.

[Mrumpiresir]

JW You're right, I am ashamed. Through the years I've seen many morons, far too many to mention. Most of them say the same stupid things. But I still don't know the point of this guy's rant. Unrefutable proof that everyone can not be above average intelligence.

[Mrumpiresir]

Last week. Game ending play. Batter hits ground ball to F4. Runner from first runs over second baseman as he is attempting to field the ball. I immediately call dead ball, runner is out. Every time I have made this call, some idiot parent says "He's in the base path". Do we need to conduct rules clinic for parents at the beginning of each season? Incredible.

[ManInBlue]

Originally Posted by Mrumpiresir

Do we need to conduct rules clinic for parents at the beginning of each season? Incredible.

Not enough time. We have to play ball some time. this clinic would take up the entire year, including time not allocated as "the season."

[johnnyg08]

I don't think we should do clinics for the parents...this is fantasic banter material!

[WreckRef]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

A few years ago, my partner and I were working our 5th game on a very hot day...a couple of guys were sick and two turned ankles...The UIC was a friend...no way would I have orked this many games in one day otherwise.

Anyway, U14...Championship game of COURSE goes into the 12th inning. No runs since about the 3rd or 4th.

In the bottom of the 12th, the first two batters strike out swinging. The 3rd batter walked and stole second. After the second pitch to the batter, the catcher threw the ball over the pitcher's head and it rolled past second base...winning run scores.

A parent yells(then echoed by at least two others: That's how you're gonna let it end Blue? How much did they pay you?

If anyone can TOP that for stupidity, I want to hear it. Notice I said TOP it. I do not believe it can be done.

Joe In Missouri

About 17 years ago, I was working the bases on a Little League game. A couple of kids from a team that wasn't playing were in the bleachers, cheering for their friends on what a certain mom felt was the opposite team of the bleachers they were sitting it.

Between innings as I'm standing around she tells me she wants me to move the kids to the "correct" side. I politely explained to her that as long as they weren't being profane or doing anything other than cheering they can sit where they like.

Apparently she didn't like that response because when she got back to her seat, she proceeded to pour her entire cup of soda on top of the kids heads.

I looked her, she looked at me and I gave her the heave-ho. Giving me a look of disbelief I told her that I don't put up with that behavior from anybody in my ball park, ESPECIALLY an adult.

Here's the kicker, I was barely 16 at the time and she called the cops on ME and the kids. When the officer showed up, he wasn't really interested in talking to me and I tried to explain what had happened but he told me to keep moving.