...and the benches clear

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by 7in60

Men's rec slo pitch league. One batter is crushing balls to left field, mostly foul, but he did get a hold of one for a homer down the line. Noone else in the league hits like this. In the second game of a double header the opposing pitcher tells another player on the team to tell this hitter that they are going to walk him out of safety concerns. The hitter comes up to bat and they send him to first to load the bases with 2 out. He isn't happy and his teammates are chirping that he can place the ball. I go out and tell everyone to be quiet. Next batter hits a grounder to short, throw to second with lots of time, R1 slides hard and late and puts F4 on his back. The benches clear. I am watching for punches, figuring we can finish the game if it's just pushing and yelling. I see two short punches from a defensive player and call the game.

In retrospect, had I ran out, ejected R1 immediately and got him out of there, maybe we finish the game. On the other hand, these are grown men and we shouldn't have to babysit them.

Thoughts?

Game was over when the benches clear.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Game was over when the benches clear.

I agree with you fully that the game usually needs to be stopped (at least for the night) once benches clear, but just curious to know what call it is you're making here. Forfeit on both sides? Ejecting both teams? Or are you suspending the game to let cooler heads prevail?


I had a similar situation a couple of years ago in a church league post season tourney championship game in which both benches cleared. A few good shoves (those players got tossed), but almost all of the guys were there just to put a stop to it without things escalating. My partner and I stopped the game for about 15 minutes to sort everything out, make the two ejections, let the remaining players calm down, and talk it over with the coaches. We ended up resuming the game, finished it, and even played the "if" game without a hitch.

We only did so because we felt that the remaining players were capable of moving forward without any further outbreaks.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

I agree with you fully that the game usually needs to be stopped (at least for the night) once benches clear, but just curious to know what call it is you're making here. Forfeit on both sides? Ejecting both teams? Or are you suspending the game to let cooler heads prevail?

I'm ejecting each player who leaves the dugout or defensive position (except known coaches) for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the benches cleared, I doubt there is going to be anyone left on either team.

If I don't have two teams, it is going to be awfully hard to have a game. If there are not enough players, the game is forfeited. Really don't care what the league administration does with it.

[TwoBits]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'm ejecting each player who leaves the dugout or defensive position (except known coaches)....

In that case, you would have zero ejections. In beer league softball, EVERYONE is a coach.

[RadioBlue]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

In that case, you would have zero ejections. In beer league softball, EVERYONE is a coach.

...AND an umpire.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'm ejecting each player who leaves the dugout or defensive position (except known coaches) for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the benches cleared, I doubt there is going to be anyone left on either team.

If I don't have two teams, it is going to be awfully hard to have a game. If there are not enough players, the game is forfeited. Really don't care what the league administration does with it.

I see...

I don't know if I personally would go quite that far. A lot of guys are running out there just to get their guy out of there, not to cause further problems. I'm not about to penalize guys for breaking it up when they themselves haven't done anything aggressive. That's just my personal opinion, everyone handles things differently.

Most rec league teams don't really have official coaches who fully understand their responsibilities to the game and to their players. More often than not, it's just a bunch of guys who just want to play, and they nominate one poor sap to be their "coach." That lack of leadership is how we end up with a dogpile of players when a fight breaks out.

[umpirebob71]

This is precisely why, after 15 years, I haven't done a single men's SP game this year. They've become nothing more than spoiled children masquerading as adults. Between the loaded bats, and the constant whining, I've had enough. I have only done fast pitch this year, and the real chidren have been wonderful all year. The adult SP is just not worth the aggravation...especially at $15.00 a game.

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by umpirebob71

This is precisely why, after 15 years, I haven't done a single men's SP game this year. They've become nothing more than spoiled children masquerading as adults. Between the loaded bats, and the constant whining, I've had enough. I have only done fast pitch this year, and the real chidren have been wonderful all year. The adult SP is just not worth the aggravation...especially at $15.00 a game.

We get $25 and $35.

Rita

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Rita C

We get $25 and $35.

Rita

Single umpire or two-umpire system?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

I see...

I don't know if I personally would go quite that far. A lot of guys are running out there just to get their guy out of there, not to cause further problems. I'm not about to penalize guys for breaking it up when they themselves haven't done anything aggressive. That's just my personal opinion, everyone handles things differently.

It is the COACH'S job to control the players. These are AAs and it doesn't take a village to break up a fight. Gang warfare leads nowhere positive.

Most rec league teams don't really have official coaches who fully understand their responsibilities to the game and to their players. More often than not, it's just a bunch of guys who just want to play, and they nominate one poor sap to be their "coach." That lack of leadership is how we end up with a dogpile of players when a fight breaks out.

Not my problem. I'm there to officiate A SOFTBALL GAME, nothing more. And there is no place for this type of bull in any game, let alone what is supposed to be a recreational activity.

[ronald]

In one neck of the woods, it is $35.50, another $38.50 - 1man, no new inning after 55 minutesIn another set of woods it is $28.