What Did He Expectorate?
 

(Chicago Tribune) Oak Forest, Illinois, High School baseball coach Ron Czarnecki is spitting mad about the school administration's decision to suspend him from his coaching duties for a year.
The administration said earlier this week that Czarnecki was being suspended because he was accused of chewing tobacco during games and while teaching classes.

Back in the day a local coach would have a dip in his cheek for games (back when tobacco was winked upon) but we didn't do anything for one reason: When he came out to complain (which was often), we'd just ask him if he had a pinch going. He'd immediately turn around and not say another word the rest of the game.

It's one thing to use on the field where most of us still wink it off, but how dim is the bulb that uses in the classroom.

Some of us would not wink it off.

No tobacco on a HS field for me either. That just puts another bullet in the opposing coaches gun about "you only enforcing the rules you want to."

Used to be a wink here too. Not anymore. I used to dip Skoal for all games. So did the coaches. So did the players. So did a lot of the moms :) Heck, if I didn't have any with me, I'd bum a dip from a coach or player. Once FED started their clampdown on it, I stopped doing it immediately and switched to gum. For the past 12 years or so, the baseball fields here have a sign on the backstop fences stating that tobacco possession or use on campus is prohibited.

For adult baseball, I used to chew Redman or Levi Garrett. Never was a seed guy, as I am so uncoordinated that half the time I spit the seed and swallow the hull.

I stopped using tobacco products altogether in March 2005, and haven't had the desire since. It's one of the best things I've ever done in my life. In fact, I can't even stand to smell cigarette smoke within 100 feet of me.

Especially at the FED level, the umpires or coaches shouldn't be violating a FED rule. Around here, if reported to the state, it would probably earn a letter of reprimand or possibly a suspension...probably the same for a coach. Players, absolute ejection...in MN, tobacco use is not different than cracking a can of beer in front of you. For a player in MN, the 1st chemical violation is a two week or two game suspension (which ever is greater)...for baseball, that could be six games or roughly 1/3 to 1/4 of the regular season.

I'm kinda shocked that ANY of us would "wink it off" on a HS field.

Don't know how long ago "back in the day" was for the OP, but use of tobacco hasn't been a "winK" around my part of the world for at least 18 years.

There was a time where I "winked" it off...I could smell chew...I've been around long enough to know that chew smells like. We were in a dugout checking equipment as instructed by our FED state governing board. However I couldn't tell which player had it in. I was not about to go on a witch hunt and start checking players. I told the coach that I could smell it, I was going to go over to the other dugout and that I expected him to take care of it. I felt like I handled it properly.

Very clear here, wink off tobacco rule and get caught and you have no more HS games assigned and any you have already are yanked. Coaches know it too.

So are you saying that I should've gone on the chew witch hunt, then busted the kid who pukes behind the dugout. Talk about the "*hitty end of the stick"

What kind of field do you prefer for winking it off?:p

If we're talking MY "preference": none. Where the Rule exists, I happily enforce it.

I am, however, aware [and thus not shocked to discover] that in some parts of the world [even around where I live] SOME umpires "wink off" tobacco [and other similar] rules in some leagues involving older players.

It is just that the Rules about tobacco have been so drummed into the HS/FED consciousness [there is a tobacco question, I think about every year, on the FED certification tests], and tobacco has been flat ILLEGAL [criminal] to possess on school property, even here in Virginia, for so long - well, I just can't envision that as one of the "no big deal" Rules [I am not endorsing ANY "no big deal" Rules attitudes, merely recognising the existence of same] for, well - anybody. Lah me.

CB, I think he was making a joke of the phrase, "winking it off." ;)

And I thought it was too obvious to miss.

They take their tobacco very seriously in Virginia.

True 'dat: if VA outlaws tobacco on HS fields, you KNOW someone is serious 'bout that.

I got the joke, Steve, I was just feeling a bit pendantic that day: no emoticon for that. unfortunately.