Reggie Drummer, Umpire of Infamous Game-Ending Strike Three Call in Mississippi Valley State vs New Orleans, Tells His Story

[Lindsay]

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Umpire Reggie Drummer's game-ending strike three call in the top of the 9th inning of a recent Mississippi Valley State vs New Orleans college game took on internet infamy and drew widespread condemnation ever since the game on March 10.

Sensing there may have been more behind this viral moment than first met the eye, Close Call Sports launched an investigation, reaching out to both schools involved, and uncovering a trail of ejections—including that of a fan—that precipitated the last pitch of the game.

In this Plate Meeting Podcast, we speak with Reggie Drummer, home plate umpire whose game-ending strike call took on an internet life of its own, who tells his side of the story and what led up to this fateful moment. It's a story of umpire abuse, an apparently uncooperative coach, racial slurs, and a hostile environment that pushed things too far.

Related (Original) Post: Called Third Strike Ends NCAA Game - About Umpire Power (3/11/23).

Video as follows:

 

Alternate Link: Interview with Reggie Drummer, umpire of infamous K3 call in NCAA game (CCS)

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[ErichKeane]

So I just watched this through, and my take-away here is : Reggie is a fantastic umpire and guy who got overwhelmed by an AWFUL situation, and made a bad snap-judgement to 'go home'.  However, it also tells me: don't be afraid of ejections. 

He seemed proud of how rarely he ejected, and I think that is GREAT, when we are dealing with well-behaved people.  However, he got himself into a situation with awfully behaved people,and let that attitude force him to keep people around that should have been tossed earlier. 

 

I know this VERY well, and did the same in one of my games early last year (my first year, but I definitely had the same attitude going in, and I was fortunate to have it happen early in my umpiring career.  I hope _I_ have learned well enough that ejecting is sometimes the healthiest way about it.  We should have a 'thick skin' in general, but trust your feelings: if folks are getting through your thick skin, toss-em, and let god the assigner sort them out.

[SeeingEyeDog]

If someone utters a racial slur on the baseball field, they need to be ejected...immediately. I respect that he chose not to eject as soon as he heard it but, we have to eject there when we hear that kind of speech. And yes, it's easy for me to sit here and say that, I wasn't working that game. But, for damn sure this should reinforce to us that when it becomes racial speech, we must eject.

Reggie should be suspended...yes, I can support that. One game...for one game. He should not have had his entire NCAA schedule taken away from him for the season. I certainly hope the NCAA, his assigners or whomever his authority is, are continuing to investigate this and will reinstate him at the NCAA level as soon as possible.

The most egregious situation here is the coach of MS Valley State. That coach should be suspended for two games and explained to in no uncertain terms that if he ever does anything like this again, he is banned indefinitely from coaching at any level of NCAA baseball. There is no place for this kind of behavior and abuse of an umpire in the game of baseball.

~Dawg

[Simply The Best]

Hostile environment? Been there, many times. Racism? Yep, that too. 

HTBT but Reggie may have waited too long to end this game. Toss them early, toss them fast and pull the plug as soon as it turns crappy.

[SeeingEyeDog]

15 minutes ago, Simply The Best said:

Hostile environment? Been there, many times. Racism? Yep, that too. 

HTBT but Reggie may have waited too long to end this game. Toss them early, toss them fast and pull the plug as soon as it turns crappy.

Username checks out...

~Dawg

[Simply The Best]

41 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Username checks out...

~Dawg

Warning given.

[The Man in Blue]

On 4/2/2023 at 2:47 PM, Simply The Best said:

Hostile environment? Been there, many times. Racism? Yep, that too. 

HTBT but Reggie may have waited too long to end this game. Toss them early, toss them fast and pull the plug as soon as it turns crappy.

 

I've been chewing on this one since it was posted.  A fantastic interview.  I had to take some time to process it emotionally because it brought back some of my worst memories of umpiring.  There is something unique and "special" about southern (especially Mississippi) culture that is at play in these situations.

I was in one of these games where it snake-bit our asses, just like this.  It was two Mississippi teams in a 16u [brand redacted] state tournament.  One team was a predominantly white team from the affluent suburbs and the other was a mostly Black team with many players from the inner-city.  My experience was the opposite direction from Reggie's, but it went pretty damned similar to this.  How we didn't have burning crosses on the field is beyond me.  We finally called the game and were escorted off the field and out of the park by the police.

I really have never figured out how to explain this to people and I still don't know how.  This is uncomfortable for me as I am somebody who usually "has the gift of words."  It is also difficult for a person to process it when they can't find the words to talk about it.  Months later, I finally did write about it (can't remember if it was here or the other forum I frequent), but even that didn't bring me to a place of peace about it.

I just know that watching his interview made my heart go out to Reggie.  Nobody should have to endure that, especially when you are just trying to do some good in the world.

[Simply The Best]

7 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

I've been chewing on this one since it was posted.  A fantastic interview.  I had to take some time to process it emotionally because it brought back some of my worst memories of umpiring.  There is something unique and "special" about southern (especially Mississippi) culture that is at play in these situations.

I was in one of these games where it snake-bit our asses, just like this.  It was two Mississippi teams in a 16u [brand redacted] state tournament.  One team was a predominantly white team from the affluent suburbs and the other was a mostly Black team with many players from the inner-city.  My experience was the opposite direction from Reggie's, but it went pretty damned similar to this.  How we didn't have burning crosses on the field is beyond me.  We finally called the game and were escorted off the field and out of the park by the police.

I really have never figured out how to explain this to people and I still don't know how.  This is uncomfortable for me as I am somebody who usually "has the gift of words."  It is also difficult for a person to process it when they can't find the words to talk about it.  Months later, I finally did write about it (can't remember if it was here or the other forum I frequent), but even that didn't bring me to a place of peace about it.

I just know that watching his interview made my heart go out to Reggie.  Nobody should have to endure that, especially when you are just trying to do some good in the world.

Empathy with you. You did all that you could, called the game, got LEO security, left in tact.

What few know is that there can be a mini-PTSD from this kind of officiating experience. I think that is sorta what went on with me. Processing is a process :). 

[agdz59]

On 4/3/2023 at 7:55 PM, Simply The Best said:

Empathy with you. You did all that you could, called the game, got LEO security, left in tact.

What few know is that there can be a mini-PTSD from this kind of officiating experience. I think that is sorta what went on with me. Processing is a process :). 

Yes sir.  Had an experience like this.  I admit is was a learning experience - it was our fault for letting it get out of hand. But the next day as I was going to work, every decision I had to make - when to pull out to the street, which way to turn - I cringed internally waiting for the firestorm from the 'fans' and 'coaches' in my head. 

[Thunderheads]

WOW.  Finally got a chance to watch the interview.  I can't imagine that experience.  It's funny, you automatically think of racism as issues between races, and, well, .... that's not how it happens all the time, obviously.  The MVS coach is the one who should be suspended, that's for sure.  I understand Reggie's suspension, but, to do it all without talking to him?  That's not right.

Based on the interview, the conversation Reggie had w/ MVS coach where he's accusing him of giving the 'white' team the advantage,.... that would have been it for me.  That would have been the stern warning, or immediate ejection to shut it down (attempt to), but who knows what that would/could have created.

Great interview, sounds like a total stand-up guy!  He made a mistake, but knew it, admitted it.  I understand it now.  Thanks to CCS for getting this ... great stuff!