OT--I didn't like this
 

This is a Men's League Softball story, but I think no matter what sport we officiate, we can relate.

I play in a Men's 12-inch softball league, and in our game tonight, the umpire did something I never want to see again.

There was a play at first where the first baseman may or may not have had his foot on the base when the throw came from shortstop. Our runner was called out. Apparently someone said something to the umpire from the dugout, because he walked into our dugout, sat down on our bench, and yelled "Play ball guys, apparently there's a better view from in here!"

Now it's not a really competitive league, we're out there to have fun. He was really good all night long, hustled quite a bit, was generally the best ump we've had all season.

That action, though, irked me the rest of the game. I know it's just a fun league, but there is no reason, at any level of sports, do I think an official should show up one of the teams like that. A simple "That's enough guys" would have done fine, in my opinion.

As much as we want to say clever, funny things sometimes, there's a level of professionalism that I think any official should uphold. There's a way to be friendly and approachable without showing up the players.

Forget the rest of it, I'm just impressed that enough guys can be found who qualify to play in that league. :eek:

How the F are you supposed to hit a softball that's 12 inches in diameter?

Is diameter metric for circumference? :p

Well, you know 16-inch ball is usually played in Chicago for a reason

Easy, we play 16-inch ball in Wisconsin also...:)

A basketball is 9.5 inches in diameter. ;)

Just trying to find a reference point for the basketball-only folks.

But it's OK for a player to show up one of the officials? Remember, in baseball, officials don't have the same ability to penalize teams for unsportsmanlike behavior in a manner that can affect the score like in other sports . I don't think this was out of line considering it was a "fun" league. It sounds like he was just having fun.

I also umpire a "fun" co-ed softball league, six games per week every summer. There are some things you're going to do that sit right with some, but not with all. I don't know if I would go into a dugout, but that's just me.

It certainly was a weird night last night, though. In my eight years, I've had to toss someone only once. Last night, I had two ejections for cursing at me. Blame it on the full moon, I guess.

[COLOR="rgb(0, 100, 0)"]True. But he could eject the player he felt crossed a line, which was one of our better players.[/COLOR]

Let me rephrase. While it's not the most competitive league, it's still taken seriously. Like I said in the OP, there's other ways to go about doing what he did. I felt it was unnecessary to let the entire park know he was calling us out.

Are you saying you're ok with what the umpire in the OP did? :confused: "Fun" league or not, but I have a hard time seeing how this is justified at all. If the umpire was bothered enough to head into the other team's dugout, then he should of just warned or started ejecting people IMO.

Yes, I'm OK with it. Although I do not work baseball or softball (although I did work some kids ball when I was a teenager a few centuries ago), I don't see what he did as any different than when I tell a coach: "Look coach, let's trade places. You come out here on the court and call the game and I'll sit on the bench and act like a jacka$$".

lol!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree. They are essentially the same. And without being overly judgmental, I would personally never do either one.

You're no fun. :p