Showing a player a rule.........

[gsf23]

I've only once gave a player a rule book and told them to look it up. It was my second ejection of a player.

This guy was about 6'8 and a pitch came across the plate about chest high, the catcher caught it like a baseball catcher about knee high, and I called it a strike. Batter kinda gave me a smirk and the next pitch, pretty much the same spot, pops up to the shortstop. Well he just goes off on me about how the ball has to land in a "drop zone" to be a strike and that there is no way that pitch was a strike. I try to explain the zone briefly to him, but then he takes his bat and draws a line in the catchers box and says the ball has to hit in front of that line for it to be a strike.

Well, that was enough for me, I walked over to my bag, pulled out a rulebook (no, I don't carry a book with me anymore, this was only my second year when I did this) and handed it to him. Told him that when he can show me anything about a drop zone or where that line is supposed to be drawn, I'll let you play again, until then you're on the bench, told the manager I needed a sub and went on.

After the game, he came up, handed me back the book, said he was wrong and apologized. Told him not to worry, it was already forgotten. Never had a problem with him or his team again.