Fighting

[StrikeToWin]

Have you ever had a fight break out in one of your games?  If so, what did you do, how did you handle the situation?  What role did you take to break up the fight if any?

[blue23ll]

I have only had one fight break out in a game I was working. It was early on in my career and one of the first games I did with kids who shaved. My partner and I basically just stood back and watched and let the coaches handle breaking up the fight. We took down numbers and made ejections, a total of 8 in all. I never recommend that we try to break up fights, its not our job. 

[MRG9999]

Agree. Stand back and let the coaches handle it. Start writing down numbers and eject. You never know what those crazy parents might do if they see you pulling or pushing their 'innocent kids' on the field. Next thing you know, you will be getting sued for putting your hands on their precious babies.

[JaxRolo]

Still waiting for a good fight!

[krwill96]

I had a benches clearing situation this summer in a summer college game. My partner tried to get in between the batter and first baseman after a pop-up, but was unsuccessful. After it was past the point of no return, we stood back and tried to see who was actually participating versus who was out on the field. A total of three ejections, of course one of the coaches didn't think any ejections were necessary.

[jjb]

Yup: this ain't hockey/ Pull out your lineup card, and start checkin' em' off. When you get to the magic number, go home.

[blue23ll]

Wait, you are talking about fights between the teams, right?

[Tksjewelry]

I also do adult slow pitch, so I've had a few brawls break out. I get in between them and pull my mom voice out and tell them to stop, if another word is spoken I'll call the game and both teams will forfit. I've bartended and worked in politics so breaking up fights is second nature. When a small woman gets in between two large guys and is firm things usually simmer down pretty quick.

[StrikeToWin]

It was between teams and it was not my field but an adjacent field.  I didn't see everything that led up to the altercation but knowing the two teams involved, it had to do with trash talking.  I did see one umpire physically restraining one player and the other umpire was between the teams at one point.  This was fall ball and the time limit was at the end so it wasn't a matter of ending the game, that would've happened in a couple of minutes any way.  I just have never been involved in a physical altercation on the field and wasn't sure what an umpires responsibility is when and if it happens.

[MRG9999]

stay out of it and start taking numbers for ejections for your report. 

[refump10]

I had a dugout-clearer once in a college game.  My partner and I both tried to head them off in front of the dugouts, but couldn't come close to stopping them.  Big scrum ensured between the mound and the plate.  I circled the pile and got with my partner.  Pulled the lineup cards out and started writing down numbers.  IIRC, we ended up getting 7-8 from each team.  Good times.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

[th3]

i ejected for a hard two handed shove this weekend

[Replacematt]

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

 

Disagree with 2. It is a rare occasion and only that in which you know what you are doing, but a little physicality can keep a situation from escalating in that moment.

[Cav]

In days of yore, I had a fight in game one of a weekend series.  Participants were from the same team! 

 

It was a dugout clearing, bats and buckets brawl between a couple of visiting middle-infielders. 

 

HC was in the 3B box at the time.  He trotted across the infield to his 1B dugout and said in passing, "I'll take care of this."  He did just that.  I wrote it up in my game report, but made no EJs.   

[blue23ll]

 

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

 

Disagree with 2. It is a rare occasion and only that in which you know what you are doing, but a little physicality can keep a situation from escalating in that moment.

 

Matt, what at all positive could result from making physical contact with any game participant? Apart from a hand shake or the rare pat on the back, there is NO reason to touch anyone. 

[blue23ll]

In a LL Majors game, years ago, I had a team manager having a verbal confrontation with a fan/parent from the opposing team. They started out just talking, but when it became loud enough for the kids to hear it and it affected the game I told the manager to knock it off. He basically ignored me so I  EJ'd him, and told him to go take care of his 'issue' with the fan in the parking lot.  The manager I ejected was a high level executive at the company I worked at, and we met in a meeting soon after that, he jokingly asked me if I was going to kick him out of the meeting...

[Rich Ives]

 

 

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

 

Disagree with 2. It is a rare occasion and only that in which you know what you are doing, but a little physicality can keep a situation from escalating in that moment.

 

Matt, what at all positive could result from making physical contact with any game participant? Apart from a hand shake or the rare pat on the back, there is NO reason to touch anyone. 

 

 

Getting between them to head it off is OK.

[blue23ll]

 

 

 

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

 

Disagree with 2. It is a rare occasion and only that in which you know what you are doing, but a little physicality can keep a situation from escalating in that moment.

 

Matt, what at all positive could result from making physical contact with any game participant? Apart from a hand shake or the rare pat on the back, there is NO reason to touch anyone. 

 

 

Getting between them to head it off is OK.

 

 

 

As a coach it's perfectly acceptable. As an umpire I won't do it, as I work games where most of the players are bigger than I am, it's not a very safe thing to do. Now if I was working LL again, I might do that with the smaller kids. 

[MidAmUmp]

The fact is you don't know what you'll do when benches clear, until benches clear.

 

What I would say is this:

• Try to stop the initial charge.  If that means putting your hands on someone, by all means, do so.  I don't mean pull someone to the ground, push or shove, but you are well within your rights to grab a hold of someone's jersey to try to stop them.
• If you can't stop the initial charge, stand back and let them go.
• Find your partner(s).
• Identify who's fighting and who's trying to stop the fight.
• Get the "anyone who leaves the bench is gone" mentality out of your head.  The reality is no one is going to stay on the bench.  There are helpers and there are hinderers.  See previous point.
• Try to take down numbers, but you may or may not pull out your cards.  You may think you will, but when it's really going down it's a different story.
• Let it all play out.  Let the cooler heads prevail.  Try to stop any side skirmishes.
• Once they start to separate, jump in and start herding them back to their dugouts.  Create a scene if you must, screaming, hollering, cussing...if they are pissed at you, they aren't pissed at each other anymore.
• After you get everyone back, find out if there is video.  Someone might be videotaping the game.  Ask to review any and all video you can access.  If they take 10 minutes to fight and break up, you take 10 or more minutes to review video.
• Determine as a crew who to eject.
• Meet with the coaches, let them know who is ejected from their team.
• Issue warnings.
• Continue the game.

[Magic]

The fact is you don't know what you'll do when benches clear, until benches clear.

What I would say is this:

• Try to stop the initial charge. If that means putting your hands on someone, by all means, do so. I don't mean pull someone to the ground, push or shove, but you are well within your rights to grab a hold of someone's jersey to try to stop them.
  
• If you can't stop the initial charge, stand back and let them go.
  
• Find your partner(s).
  
• Identify who's fighting and who's trying to stop the fight.
  
• Get the "anyone who leaves the bench is gone" mentality out of your head. The reality is no one is going to stay on the bench. There are helpers and there are hinderers. See previous point.
  
• Try to take down numbers, but you may or may not pull out your cards. You may think you will, but when it's really going down it's a different story.
  
• Let it all play out. Let the cooler heads prevail. Try to stop any side skirmishes.
  
• Once they start to separate, jump in and start herding them back to their dugouts. Create a scene if you must, screaming, hollering, cussing...if they are pissed at you, they aren't pissed at each other anymore.
  
• After you get everyone back, find out if there is video. Someone might be videotaping the game. Ask to review any and all video you can access. If they take 10 minutes to fight and break up, you take 10 or more minutes to review video.
  
• Determine as a crew who to eject.
  
• Meet with the coaches, let them know who is ejected from their team.
  
• Issue warnings.
  
• Continue the game.
  

Textbook. Spoken like a true College Umpire. Couldn't have said it better myself (and I wouldn't have).:D

[Rich Ives]

 

 

 

 

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

 

Disagree with 2. It is a rare occasion and only that in which you know what you are doing, but a little physicality can keep a situation from escalating in that moment.

 

Matt, what at all positive could result from making physical contact with any game participant? Apart from a hand shake or the rare pat on the back, there is NO reason to touch anyone. 

 

 

Getting between them to head it off is OK.

 

 

 

As a coach it's perfectly acceptable. As an umpire I won't do it, as I work games where most of the players are bigger than I am, it's not a very safe thing to do. Now if I was working LL again, I might do that with the smaller kids. 

 

 

Watch MLB. Sometimes the umpires will get between players to try to head things off.

[Replacematt]

 

 

1.  Even if your game doesn't require formal exchange of lineup cards, ALWAYS have a pen and note pad in your pocket.

2.  NEVER, EVER put your hands on a player, coach, fan.

3.  If you're close enough to it that you can get between two players while they're just pushing/shoving, MAYBE you can step between them...but you've got to read that situation before stepping in...and if fists are flying, stay out of it.

 

Disagree with 2. It is a rare occasion and only that in which you know what you are doing, but a little physicality can keep a situation from escalating in that moment.

 

Matt, what at all positive could result from making physical contact with any game participant? Apart from a hand shake or the rare pat on the back, there is NO reason to touch anyone. 

 

 

Here's the time I was most physical: I'm BU. Tense game, there's been one HBP for each team (both intentional, IMNSHO.) HT is up after a hard tag for the third out the previous half-inning. HC runs to home plate and gets in my partner's face wanting him to do something (which, again IMNSHO, should have happened at least two innings prior. Pussy.) At this time, I'm about 20-30 feet from home on a line between the mound and 3B, trying to watch the interaction of the runner/F3 and still be in a position to rodeo HC. My partner tries to placate him, except now he's changed from pleading with my partner to challenging VC.  VC comes out and range-walks towards home. I run, get to him about the time he reaches the circle, and I grab him by the jacket sleeve, spin him around, and say, "Brian, sit your ass back down before you do something you regret." He complies, and my (weak-ass) partner manages to get HC back in the dugout, as well.

 

Lots of lessons to be learned from that game.

[NoCal Blue]

This one's real simple...stay out of it. I pre game this all the time with my partners. Plate is responsible for tracking home team knuckleheads and base the away. Once the chaos has subsided, your role is to eject the participants and continue the game.

NEVER get in the middle of these types of situations regardless of age group.