Do you want to ever tell a parent to shutup sometimes?

I had a middle school game last night. I was PU, why I ask this question is that. The if the girls could catch the ball! it would be so freakin perfect, but "NO" she can't catch. Her Dad keep telling her if he "ME" the ump does not get out of your way push him, I heard it all game long. I move out of the way as soon I call the 3rd strike. It is not my fault that this girl can not catch especially on a 3rd strike call. Then when her daughters team came up to bat, he kept telling the girls not to move "take one for the team".. Man, I wanted to just put my 11 1/2 in is freakin' mouth. But that did not get me upset. I just wanted to shut him up!!!! I just laugh it off, it is funny to think some of these parents that do not know anything about softball think they know the rules and games. The girls in 9-10Up in Rec league are better then some of the girls. Atleast they know the rules and listen to the coach, while some of them anyways....

Did you ever have a day like that?

My advice is that no matter how stupid, inane, and/or obnoxious the spectators get, just ingnore them and then when the game is over you and your partner can have a nice post game libation somewhere else and ROFLYAO at how stupid they are.

MTD, Sr.

That's exactly what I do on those kinds of days!

Umpire: Hey, Coach. BigMouthDad has got to either shut up or leave. Until that happens, this game is suspended.

Coach: Why, what's he doing?

Umpire: Coach, he is advising these young ladies to place their health in jeopardy. Besides, I've had enough of him screaming at the catcher. He told her to PUSH me. Coach, do you know what happens to a player who intentionally pushes an umpire?

Coach: But you cannot just stop the game.

Umpire: Coach, go check your rule book. When you find the paragraph that states that I, the umpire, MUST umpire this game, you let me know. Until then, BigMouthDad needs to go.

Obviously, this would not (or should not) take place in Championship Play. At that level, the TD or UIC should help keep this type of situation in check.

You know Mike....We may not always agree, but I love your wit in these situations.

Love it, Mike! Been there, done that...

In Championship Game of a 14 under "A" following a no call on a fly ball to the infield where there was no catch with a diving effort the banter started for 1 and 1/2 innings. As the coach was passing HP to go to 3B box I said "Coach and I know you and the girls will be here at the end of the game, I sure hope your fans will, he sais OK and then in a loud voice said "Great No Call on that inield fly" the fans quieted down and we finished with a good ball game thanks to the coach. When it goes too far I find most coaches can and will assit in resolving the problem.

Bagman62:

In my post in this thread of Sep. 23, 2004, I said:

" My advice is that no matter how stupid, inane, and/or obnoxious the spectators get, just ingnore them and then when the game is over you and your partner can have a nice post game libation somewhere else and ROFLYAO at how stupid they are."

And I continue to repeat it. Ignore the fans and forget them. You were lucky in the game you referenced in your post above that the coach was a gentleman. You could have easily gotten a response from him that could have gotten him an "E" ticket to the showers. Just INGNORE the fans.

MTD, Sr.

A couple of times the fans have gotten out of hand, once a parent wanting to come on the field and another time with a parent inciting kids to fight. In those cases, I informed the management of the field (park director and school's atheletic director.)

I remember being burned once when I least expected it. There was a seventy-plus set of grandparents who had come to watch their granddaughter in a season ending championship. They were very quiet and well dressed to the point they kind of stood out for the rest of the fans. They were sitting in lawn chairs away from the bleacher area. Him in a business shirt and her in pearls.

After an inning where an infield fly was called, the husband said to the wife, I wonder why they called that one girl out when the ball was dropped. It was between innings and I was close enough to hear. I turned and explained the infield fly rule. All of a sudden grandpa went off on me about my strike zone and how I couldn't get anything right. For the rest of the game he wouldn't shut up, adding at times, "I know you can hear me."

Now I pretty much try to ignore all the fans, no matter how sweet and innocent they look.

last spring I had a middle school game in Dallas. in between innings a nice dressed man just strolls onto the field and informs my partner and I that stealing was not allowed in softball and we should stop it ... we informed him it was legal in fast pitch and asked him to leave the field, which he did. about 45 min. into the game that team's coach comes out of the dugout hollering and wants us to make that same man quit hollering at him ... we tell him its not our job and to go to his game administrator - he was home team ... he asked us again to take care of it, we told him the same thing, so he pulled his team and went home. turned out the angry fan was a dad who thought his girl was playing the wrong position & batting too low in the order.

Thanks, Mike.

I will do that next time, I get into. HA HA