Rude Fans

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Robmoz
Pray tell, under what rule support would you reference suspending the game? How was the game disrupted that would compel you to suspend play? Sure a heckler can be unnerving to the hecklee but absent profanity or unlawful threats I cannot see how it would concern the umpire. Please, tell me, convince me, teach me!

The rule has already been quoted. 10-8-A. I was speaking in generalities since what was going on exactly was not entirely revealed (and probably properly so). But there was this:

Originally posted by coachfanmom
... she then threatened to come into the dugout and kick the coaches butt ...

Making physical threats against the coach sounds pretty disruptive to me, and would fall under "when ... conditions justify..." in MY judgment.

And, as Mike pointed out, I never did (in my hypothetical)address the fan.

As to sitting the player. Sure it is unfair to the kid, but a travel team does not have to, and should not, put up with disruptive relatives. Most travel teams can choose the players at the coach's discretion, and the coach (among other things) has to consider the good of the team as a whole.