Umpire Threatned with Death

[MarsOmega]

Bottom of the 5th inning (also the last inning due to time), R2, 1 out. Home team up to bat, I am working alone. Babe Ruth rules.

Batter checks swing for the first pitch. I deem it a strike. The batter seems frustrated. the batter checks his swing for the second pitch. I deem it a strike. The batter is now angry. the batter then fully swings at the third pitch. I signal the out. The batter then slammed his bat full force onto the ground, turned to look at me, and yelled "You're DEAD". I walked over to the HTHC and explained what he said, and that he was now ejected. HTHC apologizes and says that the player has some sort of emotional problem and he has been trying to deal with it all season. He understands why the player was ejected and likes the idea that I have to write a report as it will alert the league that the player has gotten out of hand. The third out was made and the game was over. Home team coaches all apologize to me as I am walking out and I tell them I understand and that it's not their fault. 

Oh and by the way, this was a 10u rec game. 

[MadMax]

39 minutes ago, MarsOmega said:

The batter then slammed his bat full force onto the ground, turned to look at me, and yelled "You're DEAD".

Video games 🎮. Video games are the culprit, here, because these kids today have no sense or concept of consequences. 

40 minutes ago, MarsOmega said:

Oh and by the way, this was a 10u rec game.

Whew. You had me concerned there, for a moment. Not only should there ever be a bodily harm / death threat levied against an umpire… ever… but doubly so, that’s absolutely no way to talk to a lady. 🚺

[Velho]

Well handled @MarsOmega. My heart breaks for whatever that 10 year old is going through.

Tangent....

... getting distance since that kid seems to have major issues at the moment...

... more distance since I'm not necessarily advocating violence...

... more distance since this applies to older than the OP...

"The lack of potential consequences" include getting punched in the mouth for being an ass. Not sure when exactly that flipped but it definitely was in my lifetime (50 years) and before social media.

[Mudisfun]

I just did a quick search and the number of 10 years old kids who have shot someone is mind boggling.

Yes, this child appears to have emotional issues, and good job on the EJ and subsequent report. Sadly, the organized league which probably is a great thing mentally for this kid, is now going to be the group that is forced to punish him for his actions (rightfully so). I wonder if this child is receiving mental help which it seems he desperately requires? 

I really do not know how I would react to a 10yo threatening me in such a manner.

 

[SeeingEyeDog]

Umpires are not expected nor do the rules allow for allowances for mental illnesses...diagnosed or otherwise. We are not mind readers. We cannot begin to understand a player's or coach's motivations for the actions, words and choices they make. We can only adjudicate what we hear and see in the moments they occur.

This is also why it's so important to keep our ejections reports as minimalized as possible...just the facts. The player or coach said/did this and I said/did that. Then they said/did this and I said/did that. I personally, while I am sensitive to the needs of individuals with mental illnesses, I would make no mention of what the coaches said to me about that player after he was ejected.

The player's coach and potentially their parent(s) or guardians or the player themselves will have an opportunity to speak on the player's behalf. It's not up to umpires to administer suspensions. That's the job of state athletic associations or in this case, local league administrators. Their job is to collect all the data from those they deem relevant to the situation at hand and render a final decision as to the player's future in that league going forward.

I have never personally had this happen to me but, I know there have been instances where league administers have asked the umpires after reviewing an unusual ejection report about their opinion as to the "proper punishment". That's obviously a separate conversation...

Brother @MarsOmega...I admire how you handled a delicate situation. No big ejection mechanic here and none needed. Everyone saw the bat slam and likely many heard the threat. YOUR actions and words would make anyone at the game think you see this everyday and handled this with the same professionalism you would a close play at the plate. No reason to further inflame a potentially volatile situation. Walking over to the coach and quietly administering the ejection was just an absolute total pro move there.

~Dawg 

[johnnyg08]

12 hours ago, MadMax said:

Video games 🎮. Video games are the culprit, here, because these kids today have no sense or concept of consequences. 

I think it's soft parenting. 

[The Man in Blue]

I dunno' . . . I'd rather be threatened with death in a 10u game than given a life sentence of 10u games.

As for the emotional issues, it is getting worse.  The lack of consequences for the actions and words of children is becoming a push-button issue in my school district.  An escalating war of finger pointing resulted in an entire middle school staff staging a sick-out, a board member slinging accusations of "cultural incompetency" and racism at teachers, a threatened sick-out by all high schools, and a general pissing match that has lost sight of the point.

It is a combination of MANY different factors and a general refusal to deal with any of them.