Arrested
 

Did we miss this? Whoa!

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/s...iremolest.html

I don't know about here. It was plastered all over eteamz, but the question was raised and supported by many as to where were these girls' parents? How does an umpire get alone with four different ball players and nobody notice.

Also, note that he was booked for "investigation" of commiting a lewd act. Aren't they supposed to investigate first, THEN arrest the individual? I haven't heard any follow-up on this even though it was two months ago.

Mike's right... Something seems a bit off here. I'm sure that many of us male umpires who have called girls' games have had the thought of, "gee, could something I do here get misinterpreted? Am I too close to the catcher?" I think it's most men's worst fear: being falsely accused of indecencies with a minor.

I'm not saying the guy's innocent, but something about this story just doesn't jive. Maybe a team lost and the girls wanted payback? A buddy of mine who coaches girls' HS lacrosse says that he's overheard girls on the team or near the field brag about having gotten older men in trouble, almost as a badge of honor...

No clue here.

A bit more information.

http://www.santapaulatimes.com/news/...ring_game.html

WHILE umpiring a game? :eek:

WTF?

One report I read at the time this was originally posted on the eteamz coach's board said he was the base umpire and was engaged in inappropriate behavior with one of the fielders.

I can't imagine this going on for the SEVERAL games alleged without a Dad marching out onto the field!!! (At least I would have when my daughter was playing!)

Great... $50 says our association fees are now going to include criminal background investigations.

If the story is true, this really is sad for all involved - ASA, the tourney, his crew, but most importantly, the girls.

My local ASA group has required background checks for all umpires for many years.

From the last news article linked above:Typical feel-good-do-nothing response. Let's require tens of thousands of background checks even though it does nothing whatsoever to address the problem.

Taking the news reports at face value (that in itself is against all logic), this guy must have flipped a mental switch or something and gone off the edge. You don't just go from an admired individual to someone who would grope little girls in broad daylight in front of their parents and dozens of other onlookers. Very sad.

His court date was pushed back from yesterday to next Wednesday, 8/15/07



https://public.courts.ventura.org/pu...SONNUM=3420023

Crawford said girls who played in a game the day before had come forward with similar accusations. She said Turner, umpiring behind home plate at the Saturday game, had also touched girls inappropriately.

Crawford said she learned Turner had been previously warned about inappropriate actions by the tournament's head umpire.

"Girls clearly complained about this man and the league knew about it, and this man should have never been on that field on Sunday," Crawford said.

Why was he still allowed to umpire? He should have been questioned, and/or arrested, after the first accusation.

Bob

How do you touch a player inappropriately while umpring a game and live to call the next inning? You would think that the first sign of impropriety there would have been dads coming out of the woodwork to kick his a$$. So what did he do? Personally, I just keep my hands off!

I agree. Inappropriate contact that was seen by others - and nothing was done immediately. That surprises me.
While I've had a time or two when there was contact with a catcher - I've followed that by saying something to the catcher before the next pitch and then to the coach between innings.

All the more reason why when I'm PU and I do, eventually, get bumped by a catcher popping up before the pitch arrives, I make sure it's my elbow that makes contact and not an open palm. That way, there's less to misconstrue. Then again, I only call adult games and I don't call kids' games, so it's a slightly different situation.