04/25/24
November 14, 2003
Don't break up that fight!: For anyone who is involved with youth sports, this is the nightmare you fear — an overzealous parent who either thinks he or she is protecting a child, or sees the opportunity to file a lawsuit. How many of you are involved in youth coaching or officiating, and do you have any horror stories?
This is gross.
posted by yerfatma at 04:44 PM on November 14, 2003
I spent more than a decade as a youth baseball umpire (little tykes all the way up through high school), and I still coach youth baseball and football. Among other things, I was: • threatened with a knife for cancelling a game • called a "motherfucker" on the field during a game by the coach of a third/fourth grade team • Had a parent call me out for a fight because his son (who had skipped the last two practices) wasn't starting. The best, however, was during a second-year pitch game. These kids are maybe nine years old. I'm working behind the plate, two out, bottom of the seventh, home team losing by 8-9 runs. The last hitter in the order, who looks like a shrunken version of Bill Gates, comes to the plate. He's struck out twice already, and quickly takes two strikes down the middle. The father (who has earned plenty of space from his fellow parental fans) is alternately screaming at his child to take the bat of his shoulder and at me for being blind, stupid, etc ... I have warned the guy once, but I generally let the stuff roll. Now the kid takes another pitch which may or may not have caught the outside corner. He looks back at me, crying a little bit, and I call it a ball, then tell him, "Son, another pitch that close is going to be a strike. Swing the bat if it's there." Instead, the next pitch comes right down the pipe and I punch him out as tears stream down his face. Now the father is up off the bleachers and yelling, "You bastard! That wasn't even close! You're the worst umpire I've ever seen!" I spin around, take the mask off and, in the sudden stillness of the day, tell him, "Sir, you're the worst father I've ever seen. If you ever return to this field and say the things you've said today, I'll report you to the Department of Family and Children's Services. Have a good day." I received a standing ovation from the crowd, and I never heard another word from the guy.
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:54 PM on November 14, 2003
BRAVO! That's a kick ass story.
posted by garfield at 04:59 PM on November 14, 2003
Yeah, parents suck! Okay, not you guys or my parents, but the rest of them.
posted by billsaysthis at 06:06 PM on November 14, 2003
frazer: yeah, but what happened to that kid?
posted by forksclovetofu at 09:13 PM on November 14, 2003
Fork: I remember him coming out for the remainder of the year, then I never saw him on a baseball field again. I assume he eventually grew up and possibly beat the shit out of his father on a regular basis. Or I can just hope that.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:04 AM on November 15, 2003
That is a sad and beautiful story, wfrazer. I don't know how you kept your cool, let alone come up with a response as dignified as that. Jolly good show.
posted by worldcup2002 at 11:36 AM on November 15, 2003
WC2k2: I had actually been thinking about the response for some time during the game, and I was definitely going to say something no matter what. He just set me up with the "worst umpire" line. As for keeping your cool ... that's what umpires get paid to do, isn't it? It's one of the big beefs I have with many professional officials, who seem to think they are part of the attraction. Note to self-important umps and refs: you aren't. Call the game, be invisible and shut the hell up. Me making the remarks I did was actually really amateurish ... but I allow a little of that now and then.
posted by wfrazerjr at 07:16 PM on November 15, 2003
What complete bullshit! Did anyone stop to consider there was a brawl happening on the ice? But a player, decked out in hockey pads mind you, is pulled to the ground by a ref, mommy calls the cops, and has the ref collared for battery?! "I think there is, unfortunately, increased awareness in what the legal system has to offer and a number of people taking advantage of it before resolving their differences" No shit, Sherlock!