Never thought it would happen.. 12U ejection
 

12U Rec.. basically a fun league which feeds the summer ball Travel Team. Of course the girls know each other.

R1 from 3B comes in and Pete Roses the catcher on a play at the plate. Literally lowered her shoulder an power drives through the F2. I hear the breath leave the catcher and shes on the ground on her back trying to catch her breath. Runner still standing.

I ran her. "You are out and you are ejected."

I have a goal to make it the whole year without ejecting anyone - but thats in dealing with coaches, I ejected the Runner. Hit was so hard, not even the coach or fans complained about the ejection (which was actually a benching).

Never put it past even 12U rec girls to blow someone up at the plate.

When I first started umpiring, I used to do games for a boys' church league. One team had a particularly obnoxious coach (who ended up getting banned, btw), and this guy obviously didn't get it. He wasn't a parent of any of the kids, and I often wondered if his desire to coach came from a judge sentencing him to community service.

One game, his team was on offense when one of his kids tried to score. This kid was maybe 9 years old, couldn't run fast, and was tagged out easily at home plate (wasn't even remotely close). Coach's advice to the kid?

"If that happens again, you bowl him over!"

I couldn't help it. This is a kids' league sponsored by a church. This rule was heavily emphasized during the coaches' meeting at the beginning of the season. I told the coach, "if he does that, he's out and he's ejected." The coach blew up, "What?! Show me the rule! Show me the rule!"

And we wonder why kids grow up with such bad attitudes.

I think in that case I would have told the coach, "if he does that, he is out and you both are ejected."

This was my first year umpiring, and I was only 15. I was young, not very confident in my calls, and I hid behind the uniform. Another 15 years later, now that you mention it, you're right. I should've told him that, and I'm pretty sure that's what I'd now say if the same situation presented itself.

Coincidentally, the same coach nearly got into a fist fight at the end of that very same game (against my own former coach, no less). Both coaches were told that if they ever got another ejection, they'd be banned. Unfortunately, my father (another umpire) got the privilege of tossing the jerk one final time. D@mn it, I wanted to be the one to toss him!

The only ejections/DQ by me of fastpitch players were 2 like the OP.
Both cases, rather young, probably 12&U or 14&U.

Coach came up to me last night while I was getting ready to work another game, thanked me, and said "the player is in her 3rd year and was refusing to slide, now they are all talking about how they better slide because they dont want to get kicked out". Complimented me on a great call and calling a great game.

So.. my first 12U Rec ejection of a player and my first thank you from a coach for ejecting their 12U rec player.
:cool:

While I understand what is likely your motivation (a desire to increase your ability to handle situations, I would guess), I think this is a poor goal to even have in your mind. You are more likely to let things slide that you shouldn't if you have this thought in the back of your head that you don't want to mess up your goal.

Just a thought.

Heck ... I might have ejected him right away. Telling his players to hurt other players on purpose (especially young ones) is almost child abuse.

Good to see a coach that "gets it", and even better, that your actions had a positive effect on the players.

And now 24 more people think there is a "must slide" rule. :rolleyes:

Not sure about "almost". :( Unless you are a lawyer. :eek:

Ha! Very true.

Good.