Ball Intentioanlly Thrown at Me
 

Men's conventional FP. I am BU. One team is whining a lot and feels the calls are not going their way, even though they are leading 4-0. I am BU. The opposing team hits a 3-run HR to close to 4-3. The ball is thrown in to the RF and I am facing home plate, 1/3 of the way from 1B to 2B. The RF fires the ball in. The 2B and SS yell "heads up", I grab my head, and the ball hits me between the shoulder blades on the fly. The 2B apologizes. After the game my partner tells me he thought it was intentional - that the RF looked in, noticed that I wasn't looking, and fired the ball. I asked him why the player wasn't immediately ejected. He didn't have a good answer. We discussed it with the umps working the other diamond and we concluded that the best action is to "never take your eyes off them". It is too late to take action on this play?

If your partner truly believed what he saw and had some of his own, the RF should have been gone. Obviously, your partner thought that wasn't his call.

If the RF never apologized that should tell you something right there. Did he have any reaction at all???

Once you move on in the game, you move on. If you don't address it then (or at the end of the play), then you've already accepted it. Only exception, in my book, is if there is a continuation of that action towards you or another player (such as throwing at you again, or at another player).

No, and I didn't look at him. I expected him to apologize when he came in after the half inning, and thought about letting him know when he didn't. I didn't think the ball was actually going to hit me, so when it did, I was more surprised than anything. Plus, it didn't hurt, so I felt tough. I can feel it when I squeeze my shoulder blades together today.

So if I didn't eject him, I can't warn the UIC, or commissioner, file a report, etc. after the fact?

Well, if you didn't address it then, what will telling other people in the tournament do? If the coach gets wind of this, they'll scream bloody murder that you're poisoning the other umpires against him.

It was a league game. I just want to give my fellow blue the heads-up in case there are any further incidents.

I still say grin and bear it. If something else comes up later in the season, someone should take care of it.

Fair enough. I agree that after the fact you pretty much have to eat it.

I'll bring the ketchup and we'll commiserate together. Been there, done that. ;)

CHOMP! GULP!

I was hit by a throw 2 years ago. I was BU, button hooked to cover the plate as the PU went to 3B. Got hit right in the back of the head. Almost went down. Luckly the ball didn't go into DBT. Now I always keep my good eye on the ball!

My first year in mens FP I had the same thing happen to me.. almost exactly, except I also got hit me in the back of the head, darn near knocking me out.. luckily I'm hard headed.

I never take my eye off any player with the ball ever now.. not the catcher retrieving a passed ball, not the right fielder... not anyone.

Thats lesson #1.

Of course he should have been ejected.. but i didnt think quick enough to eject the dude that hit me either.. so thats how it goes.

Many partners are weak. A lot of people in ASA teach umpires to be weak and "keep them in the game" and then there are people just weak in general.

Count it as a lesson learned and forget about the ejection part.. unless it happens again. Now you know.

Thanks guys. Lesson learned.