National Anthem Standoff

[noumpere]

I get irritated when we say something to the players and then the coach says "hey -- work through me on this".  If you'd do your job before the game / season / etc. and look and address it after the anthem, we wouldn't have to say anything to the players.

[Mark Pepper]

A few differences stated here in the "correct way to hold your hat during the anthem."  I know it's off-topic but:

From the United States Flag Code:
"§171. Conduct during playing

"During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there. "

 

And then in the standoff, start ejecting players, saving the ones who are holding their hats correctly for last.  See, I brought it back!

[MPLSUMP]

Last 2 college games, I've had to end the stand off. I don't understand it. A quick, "back to the dugout, NOW!" worked.

[Stretch]

I wondered what was to be "won" by the stand-off.  Then it dawned on me... an vacation ejection.

[MrBlue2U]

I've had this happen in 5 of my games this year. I've dealt with it two ways, both of which have been effective, one more fun than the other.

1. At the conclusion of the anthem, before the base umpire(s) break from the plate area, shout "Let's go, time to play ball!" I've found that if you say something, they will break up. If they don't then a warning to the manager should do nicely.

2. I've gone over and stood by the players in the standoff and pretended to look off into the distance. They start giggling. I say, "Some pretty nice scenery here, huh fellas?" More giggles. "Let's play some baseball." Party over, game on.

Baseball is supposed to be fun, guys - have fun with it until they don't respond to your efforts to get the game going!

[BT_Blue]

Had this happen today but was only one sided. Partner caught it quickly and told them to get their butts in the dugout.

[TheGeneral]

I've had this happen in 5 of my games this year. I've dealt with it two ways, both of which have been effective, one more fun than the other.

1. At the conclusion of the anthem, before the base umpire(s) break from the plate area, shout "Let's go, time to play ball!" I've found that if you say something, they will break up. If they don't then a warning to the manager should do nicely.

2. I've gone over and stood by the players in the standoff and pretended to look off into the distance. They start giggling. I say, "Some pretty nice scenery here, huh fellas?" More giggles. "Let's play some baseball." Party over, game on.

Baseball is supposed to be fun, guys - have fun with it until they don't respond to your efforts to get the game going!

I'm with MrBlue here. If, and only if, it's full participation with the pitcher and catcher warming up, I'm not against letting them have their fun for 2 minutes until it's time to actually start the game here.

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[MrBlue2U]

Baseball is supposed to be fun, guys - have fun with it until they don't respond to your efforts to get the game going!

I'm with MrBlue here. If, and only if, it's full participation with the pitcher and catcher warming up, I'm not against letting them have their fun for 2 minutes until it's time to actually start the game here.

Thanks @TheGeneral. I wouldn't advise letting it go the entire time the pitcher warms up. Give 'em about 5-10 seconds after the anthem ends and then start addressing it. That's plenty of time for their fun. You want to have this mess cleaned up well before the catcher throws the last warmup down to 2B so it doesn't delay the start of the game at all.

[Majordave]

Gotta revive this one and tell on myself. Since it was in summer ball and no one was hurt and I'm not going to be sued.

Summer collegiate woodbat league. I'm PU. Both teams have two idiots standing on respective foul lines after the anthem. I make an announcement to return to dugouts. Partner makes same announcement. Pitcher warms up. I announce we are starting the game If you guys get hit by a batted ball that's on you. Announce play ball! First pitch is called strike. Idiots still standing there. Pitcher delivers pitch two. Foul ball rocket down 3B line barely missing idiots. One idiot on 1B line vacates. One injured idiot stays on 1B line and both idiots standfast on 3B line. I called the foul, walk out in front of plate and announce you guys have had your fun. You two! You're gone! You (to remaining idiot on 1B line) you're gone!

Pretty good crowd. They are laughing. Commenting on the idiots. (Probably think I'm an idiot or crazy man too).

That was the end of it. No other issues.

Explained to each coach between innings that in college season the head coach would be ejected along with his idiots.

I heard both coaches tell their respective idiots to get in the dugout several times before first pitch. Partner and I and home coaches had a good laugh afterwards.

Not sure what my defense would have been to the lawsuit if one had gotten hit but I dodged that bullet.

I'm judgment proof since my divorce so they can have all my owed for stuff if they want it. Hahaha.

[ricka56]

Sorry for reviving a dead thread, but I thought I'd tell my recent story.

A few weeks ago, I have the dish for a Saturday Game 2 HS playoff game. After the NA, one yahoo from each team went for the standoff. F1/F2, as usual start warming up when I notice what's going on. I took the game ball from F2 and start walking towards the HTHC. And before I could get close enough to say, "that's your F1 standing out there without this baseball, waiting for this crap to be done". HTHC sees me coming and yells at his jackass to get off the field. 

Worked like a charm...not my monkeys, not my circus (which would have been a great comeback line if HTHC didn't fix it right away). 

[Welpe]

Took care of that right quick didn't it?

As a side note, I've always liked how the playoffs in Texas are a series. Do you work all games of the series?

Here it is one and done.

[ricka56]

Here in Texas, coaches decide if they want a one-game series or best 2 out of 3. If they can't agree, they flip a coin to decide. Then the coaches decide if they want umpires from the chapters that usually work their games (2 from each) or a neutral crew. No agreement means the umpires will be from a neutral chapter. 

Our 2 out of 3 series was a neutral crew. We had not seen either 6A team (largest school) before. The same crew worked the entire series (SOP). I was the crew chief for our series. I set the game rotation (ex. me:U1, PU, U3). 

Because of demand for our guys, we had 35 members working that first playoff weekend. That's more than half of our chapter and the most that we'd ever had. 

[zoops]

Also had it happen in a playoff game of a couple small-town schools about a week ago.  First time I have seen it in a HS game.  Just a few from each team lingered and I said "get out of here guys" and they scattered quickly.  

[ricka56]

9 hours ago, zoops said:

Also had it happen in a playoff game of a couple small-town schools about a week ago.  First time I have seen it in a HS game.  Just a few from each team lingered and I said "get out of here guys" and they scattered quickly.  

The first time this happened to me, above is what I did. But they ignored me...blew me off. I'd never contemplated players completely blowing me off and I started to lose it. I stormed up the line, yelling MOVE ... GET OUT OF MY WAY until they all had broken their stand at attention and it was done. It was ugly, it upset me very much and an inning later, I was still trying to put it out of my head.

 It was discussed and I believe NFHS stated that the umpire should threaten each coach with restriction/ejection to stop it. But that seemed over-the-top and would look terrible, so I devised my plan to simply take the ball away from F1/F2 and let HTHC know that their F1's routine is being impacted by this horse$#!+ and let him decide how much his team needed to win this standoff.  

[Welpe]

On 6/1/2016 at 6:24 AM, ricka56 said:

 Then the coaches decide if they want umpires from the chapters that usually work their games (2 from each) or a neutral crew. No agreement means the umpires will be from a neutral chapter.

That's how they do it in football, too so I'm not surprised. Amazing how much power they give coaches there. That's one thing I don't miss about calling football in Texas (I didn't do high school baseball at the time).