I was reading a story on CNN's site today about a new laser and it got me thinking about something that happened to me in my first year that in retrospect was the most spooky thing that ever happened to me as an official.

While working a midget game as a Linesman in 1999 I came to the middle of the field to report an infraction to the referee. He had this puzzled look on his face and said "Joe, what's that on your shirt???" I look down and realized a red laser was pointed directly at my chest from a fan some distance away.

I kept working the game not thinking anything of it. In hindsight I probably should have ran off the field. Think about it! You have no idea if it's some wise @ss kid with a pencil laser or some nut case with a gun.

In these days where we're hearing so much about assaults on sports officials I probably would run off the field. I'm interested in hearing how some of you would handle this.

I'd hide behind my umpire. :)

Immediately leave the field and notify game management. Let them handle it from there.

I had the same thing happen several years ago only it was pointed farther south :o

Game administration saw the kid and confiscated the laser. We had a few laughs over it afterwards but it was embarrasing at the time.

This has happened here in my hometown on several occasions. They have taken this real serious around here The past few years I haven't heard of any incidents in my home town. Obviously if you fear for your life get the you know what out of there. But on the other hand if you can follow the laser back to it's holder you can inform the coach or administrator so they can in most cases identify the individual. There was one occasion where there was a laser but they couldn't find the culprit so they positioned some "under cover" school administators in the crowd opposite from where the laser was coming from and with the aid of walky talkies they communicated where it was coming from. They also give a brief announcement prior to the game about the lasers as well.

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LOL, our crews ump is BIG, 6-4 280#

#1 this (gun with laser sights) could not happen at a school stadium as it is against the law to have a gun on school grounds. ;-) (My feeble atempt to smack the anti-gun crowd)

It happened to me and I did not, nor would I if it happened again, take the dramatic step of running off the field. I could tell where it was coming from and had administrators remove the kid from stadium.

In these days of Columbine, and other such disturbances, any threat has to be taken seriously. Contact game administration and order them to remove the potential threat.

Many years ago doing a high school basketball game in Detroit, the security officier walked over to me at the scorer's table during a timeout and said, "Ref, we're going to have to stop this game, we think someone has a gun in the stands."

No argument here. Game over.

Be careful too as those laser will blind you (I know, we already are). So if you get looking for the culprit you might want to consider that.
I also agree, report it to game management. Chances of it being a gun are real slim so I would not run off the field. Besides I'm far from being able to out run a bullet.

These "hobby" lasers are not sufficient to blind you. You need an industrial-type laser for that.

I'm not running off the field, just tell game management to take care of it.

My wife's employer gave pamphlets to their women employees dealing with women's safety a few days ago. In it, they said that if a mugger has a gun you should run as there is only a 4/100 chance of being struck. I wonder how they came up with that number but in all seriousness that was the recommendation.

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Did you see that chase seen down in So. Cal. where the cops got the guy pulled over, then fired over 90 rounds at him, they managed to hit one of thier own and did not kill suspect......btw, guy was unarmed and LA Sheriffs office was immediately approaching homeowners in the vicinity with checks to offer, they managed to hit homes!!!!

Seems to me that the LA cops do a much better job with their batons.

tell that to the airline pilot who was blinded in one eye by one.

I laughed at the
"hide behind my umpire" !!
I'm 6'3" 270--- and
I always protected my White
Hat and the others by leading the way
through any crowds after games--
keeping an eye out for any crazed
parent/fan who would do us bodily
harm !!
Treat any threat as REAL !!
Do not let it slide.

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We had one couple years ago, my old school. Field is called "the pit". Players and officials exit is thru a tunnel that runs under a walkway, fans hanging over edge just flaming us and our WH. Funny thing was, visitors were down by 1, less than a minute. QB intentional grounds with like 12 seconds remaining, obvious effort to save time. At that time, WH could have started clock on RFP, does not do that, another pass play, incomplete....V loses....they were quick to get to our exit....thank God for security and our own parking area

I'm not sure about the 4 in 100, but it sounds pretty close. Those of you who shoot pistols will understand why you should always run if someone points a gun at you and never do as they say.
For example, I teach my children to run away if someone pulls up in a car and points a gun at them and says get in the car. Here's my logic.
If you run, odds are probably better than 50/50 the gunman will not shoot. If they do shoot, it's problably better than 50/50 again that you will be hit as you run away. If you are hit it's probably better than 50/50 again that it will be a fatal shot. So at this point you've reduced your odds of being killed from almost 100 percent if you get in the car to 12.5 percent, at worst, if you run.
Now as for myself, if I can't find an umpire behind whom to hide, shoot back.