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Losing 27-4, Let's insult the umpire!


bluejerred
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"Adult men" slow pitch softball.  City recreational league.  Bottom 5, last inning called, team losing 27-4.  Batter who comes up argued an illegal pitch back in the first inning saying he pitched high enough since he was six feet and that is where he felt the ball was.  I let it slide but I take notice of his attitude rapidly deteriorating during the game.  Pitch comes to him, borderline 12 feet but I let it go because I've been letting that pitch go for both sides.  I call a strike.  He looks right at me, calls time, and asks me "how do you figure that's a strike?"  I tell him, "You are six feet, I estimated two of you and considered it good enough to let go."  He tells me, "Oh, is that right?  That's bullSH*#."  At this point, I'm just trying to get the game done so I can end this catastrophe.  Then he had to had the desire to say "F-ing idiot" loud enough where the catcher and I can hear it.  At that point, I call time and make a huge EJ mechanic and "You're done!".  He decides to finish the the sentence with "and you are an asshole".  After the game, the same guy comes onto the field (after being ejected - he should have been in the parking lot and gone) and gets my info.  I keep telling him to go away but he refuses demanding my name.  I tell him and tell him to go away.  Then I had other members of their team coming up to me and trying to play "stump the ump" right after the ejection about an interference call 4 innings ago.  My only regret is that I wasn't more firm with them and just immediately tell them to go back in the dugout or just toss them.  If they claim that they have been playing for years, then they should know that wasn't the time for that.

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The lesson to be learned here, don't work men's rec slow pitch softball. Nothing EVER good happens here, and it doesn't help you become a better umpire.

Yeah, I'm thinking you are on to something there.  Especially with my assignments on Friday night when there has been alcohol intake.  There is no security, adults who can't control themselves, and receiving statements like "we will talk about this AFTER the game".  I'm considering just calling my UIC and telling him that I only want to work fast pitch.  He probably wouldn't care because he hates this league and refuses to work it himself.

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The lesson to be learned here, don't work men's rec slow pitch softball. Nothing EVER good happens here, and it doesn't help you become a better umpire.

Yeah, I'm thinking you are on to something there.  Especially with my assignments on Friday night when there has been alcohol intake.  There is no security, adults who can't control themselves, and receiving statements like "we will talk about this during the game".  I'm considering just calling my UIC and telling him that I only want to work fast pitch.  He probably wouldn't care because he hates this league and refuses to work it himself.

 

A "red flag" should have gone up when you found this out! :question1:

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The lesson to be learned here, don't work men's rec slow pitch softball. Nothing EVER good happens here, and it doesn't help you become a better umpire.

Yeah, I'm thinking you are on to something there.  Especially with my assignments on Friday night when there has been alcohol intake.  There is no security, adults who can't control themselves, and receiving statements like "we will talk about this during the game".  I'm considering just calling my UIC and telling him that I only want to work fast pitch.  He probably wouldn't care because he hates this league and refuses to work it himself.

A "red flag" should have gone up when you found this out! :question1:

I can't argue with that. That is a fair point.

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Yeah, I have seen some games from a distance b/c I umpired a field next to a men's softball game going on.  A play occurred at the plate in one and in 2 seconds, half the offensive team was in PU's face.  I did not see the play but decided then, I would NEVER do a men's softball game.  I haven't done one.

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Yeah, I have seen some games from a distance b/c I umpired a field next to a men's softball game going on.  A play occurred at the plate in one and in 2 seconds, half the offensive team was in PU's face.  I did not see the play but decided then, I would NEVER do a men's softball game.  I haven't done one.

Clean house and that crap stops. 

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Yeah, I have seen some games from a distance b/c I umpired a field next to a men's softball game going on.  A play occurred at the plate in one and in 2 seconds, half the offensive team was in PU's face.  I did not see the play but decided then, I would NEVER do a men's softball game.  I haven't done one.

Clean house and that crap stops. 

 

Helps when "City Recreation Director" has some cajones and threatens these leagues within an inch of their lives about messing with the umpires, and also the encouragement given to the umpires to immediately call police who have also been made aware of these city rec league confrontations and the encouragement towards officials to litigate any problems through the court system with help from the police department. Mess with umpires equals big write up in local paper about incident equals where the person works equals litigation equals possible criminal record equals bad press for the business or company worked for equals lots of trouble. Otherwise, stay in Leagues where these practices are obviously not condoned or officiate other sports in the area where this type of behavior is not condoned. If you are just hell bent to stay in one of these leagues no matter what, join one of the officiating organizations that offer "insurance" with your membership to help financially with your possible prosecution proceedings or with an injury that keeps you out of work. They are out there but others on here would know which ones provide that service.

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Yeah, I have seen some games from a distance b/c I umpired a field next to a men's softball game going on.  A play occurred at the plate in one and in 2 seconds, half the offensive team was in PU's face.  I did not see the play but decided then, I would NEVER do a men's softball game.  I haven't done one.

Clean house and that crap stops. 

 

Exactly!

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I was managing a softball field one night and no umpire showed. I agreed to do the game, I told them to give me their arc rules, count rules, HR limits, I had the rest. I also told them I was a baseball umpire and knew how to throw so let's have a fun game. They had a good time, no arguments. 

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my first experience was asa mens rec. I took an asa class which did a very good job of introducing me to the idea of rules and a rule book and our league was extremely well behaved. I am 100% confident that this is the exception. But I worked a lot of games. always with a partner - so I learned to follow mechanics. I saw OBS and INT and gained experience dealing with things like darkness or rain, etc. I think it made me a better umpire - considering i was starting from zero - and gave me a base to build on.  But I would never do it now.

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Adult flag football is no better, for what it's worth. One of my friends worked one season in a local league. Says he will NEVER make that mistake again.

Adult ANYTHING is something I want no part of. 

 

Except women.  They're generally OK. 

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make each team give the league $200.00 for the "ejection pool" and $100.00 for the "appeal pool" in cash at the beginning of the year.  Every ejection costs 50 or 100 bucks and goes toward the end of season Umpire party.  run out of ejection money go to the appeal pool, if you run out before the end of the year, you either add more $$ or forfeight the rest of the games.  Hit em where it hurts.   

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  • 2 weeks later...

I know im late here (way late...sorry) but i have seen this more often than not (since we have alot of it around here) and have even had a player follow me to another field still yacking about something they felt was wrong...at times its more babysitting than umpiring... i liked your comebacks though :). My other favortie comeback that i have heard recently is 'well i used to umpire up here' followed by my question of why are we still talking about it then?

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Act 2 - Team A's catcher has his tourretts starting to flare up behind the plate during the 5th inning.  I tell him to stop once, then tell him to "STOP!" with my hand up since he didn't get the message the first time.  We are close to no new innings time but I let the inning play out.  Offensive team stays at bat long enough to get past the time limit.  I call the game at the end of the 5th.  I go to do my paperwork and I hear "You're dirty, blue!" from the losing team.  I know the voice but I didn't see him say it and since the game is done, I decide that it's better to let them just get out of there quickly.  I turn around to watch both teams because they are starting to get after each other a little bit instead of shake hands and I hear the same guy say "You're dirty, blue!" again.  This time, I see him say it. BOOM!  Both teams start to really get after each other.  I get between them, point at both teams, and tell them, "GET OFF MY FIELD!". 

 

After the night is done, I'm talking with one of the other umpires about what happened.  He asked me why I tossed the player over that.  I told him that if he had the audacity to get personal twice, then he had to go not to mention that if I let him get away with that with me, then he was going to do it to the next umpire also.  He told me that I was just setting myself up for headaches.  I was a little discouraged by this because I think most umpires and the city director feel this way and now I'm having to take care of their business.  I'm at the point where if the city wants to discourage umpires to toss over personal remarks like this because we don't "have a thick skin", then they can reap what they sow without me when crap really hits the fan.  I can handle them being frustrated over a call, friendly banter, and disagreements.  However, as soon as it gets personal, intimidating, threatening, or my integrity is insulted - my tolerance goes to zero quickly. 

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 I turn around to watch both teams because they are starting to get after each other a little bit instead of shake hands and I hear the same guy say "You're dirty, blue!" again.  This time, I see him say it. BOOM!  Both teams start to really get after each other.  I get between them, point at both teams, and tell them, "GET OFF MY FIELD!". 

 

 

Why did you go back to get between them? Once the game is over your job is done. Should have been thinking "Get the hell out of here"

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Act 2 - Team A's catcher has his tourretts starting to flare up behind the plate during the 5th inning.  I tell him to stop once, then tell him to "STOP!" with my hand up since he didn't get the message the first time.  We are close to no new innings time but I let the inning play out.  Offensive team stays at bat long enough to get past the time limit.  I call the game at the end of the 5th.  I go to do my paperwork and I hear "You're dirty, blue!" from the losing team.  I know the voice but I didn't see him say it and since the game is done, I decide that it's better to let them just get out of there quickly.  I turn around to watch both teams because they are starting to get after each other a little bit instead of shake hands and I hear the same guy say "You're dirty, blue!" again.  This time, I see him say it. BOOM!  Both teams start to really get after each other.  I get between them, point at both teams, and tell them, "GET OFF MY FIELD!". 

 

After the night is done, I'm talking with one of the other umpires about what happened.  He asked me why I tossed the player over that.  I told him that if he had the audacity to get personal twice, then he had to go not to mention that if I let him get away with that with me, then he was going to do it to the next umpire also.  He told me that I was just setting myself up for headaches.  I was a little discouraged by this because I think most umpires and the city director feel this way and now I'm having to take care of their business.  I'm at the point where if the city wants to discourage umpires to toss over personal remarks like this because we don't "have a thick skin", then they can reap what they sow without me when crap really hits the fan.  I can handle them being frustrated over a call, friendly banter, and disagreements.  However, as soon as it gets personal, intimidating, threatening, or my integrity is insulted - my tolerance goes to zero quickly. 

 

 

Of course that's a good toss.  Getting personal and accusing you of cheating is a no-brainer.  This kind of behavior must be dealt with swiftly and harshly.  The other umpire you were speaking to is a spineless wimp.

 

I do have a question, however.  When you say "I go to do my paperwork" - what paperwork are you referring to, and where were you doing it?  I do know that in my travel ball tournaments, we have to stay on the field to get coaches to sign the scorecard and the pitching logs, which prevents us from leaving immediately.  Is this what you were doing?  Otherwise, you shouldn't be there to see them shake hands.  I do have issue with this statement: "GET OFF MY FIELD!"  It's not "your" field and this statement puts you in a poor light.  If you feel you must get involved, I would think "knock it off" would be more appropriate.  JMHO.

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Act 2 - Team A's catcher has his tourretts starting to flare up behind the plate during the 5th inning.  I tell him to stop once, then tell him to "STOP!" with my hand up since he didn't get the message the first time.  We are close to no new innings time but I let the inning play out.  Offensive team stays at bat long enough to get past the time limit.  I call the game at the end of the 5th.  I go to do my paperwork and I hear "You're dirty, blue!" from the losing team.  I know the voice but I didn't see him say it and since the game is done, I decide that it's better to let them just get out of there quickly.  I turn around to watch both teams because they are starting to get after each other a little bit instead of shake hands and I hear the same guy say "You're dirty, blue!" again.  This time, I see him say it. BOOM!  Both teams start to really get after each other.  I get between them, point at both teams, and tell them, "GET OFF MY FIELD!". 

 

After the night is done, I'm talking with one of the other umpires about what happened.  He asked me why I tossed the player over that.  I told him that if he had the audacity to get personal twice, then he had to go not to mention that if I let him get away with that with me, then he was going to do it to the next umpire also.  He told me that I was just setting myself up for headaches.  I was a little discouraged by this because I think most umpires and the city director feel this way and now I'm having to take care of their business.  I'm at the point where if the city wants to discourage umpires to toss over personal remarks like this because we don't "have a thick skin", then they can reap what they sow without me when crap really hits the fan.  I can handle them being frustrated over a call, friendly banter, and disagreements.  However, as soon as it gets personal, intimidating, threatening, or my integrity is insulted - my tolerance goes to zero quickly. 

 

 

Of course that's a good toss.  Getting personal and accusing you of cheating is a no-brainer.  This kind of behavior must be dealt with swiftly and harshly.  The other umpire you were speaking to is a spineless wimp.

 

I do have a question, however.  When you say "I go to do my paperwork" - what paperwork are you referring to, and where were you doing it?  I do know that in my travel ball tournaments, we have to stay on the field to get coaches to sign the scorecard and the pitching logs, which prevents us from leaving immediately.  Is this what you were doing?  Otherwise, you shouldn't be there to see them shake hands.  I do have issue with this statement: "GET OFF MY FIELD!"  It's not "your" field and this statement puts you in a poor light.  If you feel you must get involved, I would think "knock it off" would be more appropriate.  JMHO.

 

In this league, we are required to keep the score in addition to all of the other duties that we are put in charge with.  Coaches aren't required to sign the scorecard at the end of the game.  The reason I stayed on the field is because the next game was due to start right away.  Saying "knock it off" probably would have been a better choice of words in retrospect.  At the same time, if I can be called as a witness, sued in court, or have my ASA insurance filed in suit due to something that happened on the field that I am umpiring on, then in a way it is my field (or at least I'm in charge of it) and if you are a severe risk factor to other players, then you no longer get to stay.  But I get what you are saying - I guess it was a quick heat of the moment thing to get these guys to stop and as a new umpire, I'm still developing my management techniques. 

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Using the term" my field" is not good in my book. It has always bothered me and I have heard many say it. I agree we are in charge of the game, in charge of administering it, but it by no means is it our field or our game.

That's a fair point. I do everything I can to not be the focus of the game and let them enjoy their game. That being said, if something bad happens on the field that you are working, people tend to refer to it as "your" field pretty quickly. I don't know the best way to approach this. Do you guys let it be their field and their game until they prove they can't handle that? I'm just trying to develop the right approach to this.

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