Parents Little League Game Brawl in Colorado

[jbindm]

I've got a kid one level past that, single A, where they start having umps. They're all 13 and 14. And believe me, some people can't help themselves and just have to say crap loud enough for the umpires to hear. I always give a little "good job blue" or something like that during or after the game even if they suck... because even then, it's 9 year olds for goodness sake.

My wife and I always try to say thanks to the coaches after a game. I get frustrated enough trying to get my own kids to pay attention, let alone ten other kids that aren't mine. I really do appreciate their patience and willingness to spend their time doing that stuff, because God knows I won't do it.

I think that after this last round of baseball we'll be out of the youth sports game for a while. My son doesn't much care for any sport he's tried so far and my daughter is only two so I'm likely getting at least a brief break from the craziness.

 

[IASTATE07]

I can't help but think alot of this behavior is linked to parents throwing money they don't have at "training" and travel teams. Has to hit you pretty hard when you realize you've invested thousands and thousands of dollars for your kid to not be very good.

My nephew has played travel ball the last 4 or 5 years. I've yet to see anything like what I've seen at the local little league that he played in and I coach in. I'm not saying it doesn't happen at travel ball, but from my experience it has been more relaxed at USSSA than Little League.

 

[jbindm]

I can't help but think alot of this behavior is linked to parents throwing money they don't have at "training" and travel teams. Has to hit you pretty hard when you realize you've invested thousands and thousands of dollars for your kid to not be very good.

And time. We all work, right? And now we spend what little time we have off on weekends (and sometimes taking time off from work) just to drive to some damn tournament six hours away. Sometimes that might sting worse than the bill. "I blew a Saturday for this?!"

 

[heitclone]

I volunteered (pulled from the crowd) to umpire a game for 8 year olds. Kid hits this ball solid, between the outfielders. He's rounding 3rd, making for home, the outfielder hurls the ball towards home, the catcher catches it. I call "OUT". The coach comes screaming at me, He's got to tag him, he's got to tag him. I calmly say, the kid threw the ball all the way from the fence, the catcher caught it (these are 8 year olds), he's out. The coach looks at me for a couple seconds, then says, Yup, you're right.

You intentionally made the wrong call, you probably deserve some flack. That's different than having a hard job to do or missing a call.

 

[throwittoblythe]

I'm not one to argue little league baseball (after umping middle school and high school for 5+ years), but I would be a little upset with that decision as it's not the right rule at all

Agreed. That's sending a poor message to the kids of "hey you made a nice play so you get the out" vs "nice play, but he's still safe. thems the breaks"

 

[throwittoblythe]

I played sports through high school and had a generally positive experience. I love watching sports. But at this point if all my kids decided they didn't want to play sports I'd probably be relieved. Youth sports are out of control.

My hometown was, and is, all about baseball. I had a generally positive experience, as well, but we also had some dicks in our small town that would heckle the HS players. I remember I had one really bad game where I struck out twice with the bases loaded. It's an interesting feeling being 15 yrs old and having a classmate's dad heckling you from the other side of the fence.

 

[jbindm]

Agreed. That's sending a poor message to the kids of "hey you made a nice play so you get the out" vs "nice play, but he's still safe. thems the breaks"

Sure. I wouldn't go screaming at the ump in that situation, though. Maybe pull them aside and just explain that you know they're only kids and it's just a game, but we are at least trying to teach them the basic rules of the game and you're not helping when you do that.

Losing it in front of everyone isn't going to help make your point.

 

[thatguy]

Apparently the 13 year old umpire asked the parents to stop swearing. One mom came out with a baseball bat. Another dad tried to stop her, then a bunch of trash people decided to take out the guy who was stopping the woman with a bat. Had nothing to do with a bad call. Just trashy people being awful. I'm sure they think everyone is just being "overly sensitive"

 

[srjclone]

My hometown was, and is, all about baseball. I had a generally positive experience, as well, but we also had some dicks in our small town that would heckle the HS players. I remember I had one really bad game where I struck out twice with the bases loaded. It's an interesting feeling being 15 yrs old and having a classmate's dad heckling you from the other side of the fence.

parents who heckle other teams players in youth travel sports are a special kind of stupid.

 

[srjclone]

Finally watched the video

1. Why is there always at least one ass who takes a cheap shot in these videos? Always some dickhead throwing a shot who's either not involved at all or just taking the free shot

2. In Jesus name that woman filming was annoying

Its very often a person who was trying to be tough and got shown up at an earlier point in the brawl. Either they got socked and couldn't live with themselves without getting back at someone, or they just talk **** the entire time egging people on and once someone close to them finally turns their back they throw a punch and back up 5 steps (probably internally thinking about how cool they are). It looks to me like that gentleman was a bit of both.

 

[Doc]

I volunteered (pulled from the crowd) to umpire a game for 8 year olds. Kid hits this ball solid, between the outfielders. He's rounding 3rd, making for home, the outfielder hurls the ball towards home, the catcher catches it. I call "OUT". The coach comes screaming at me, He's got to tag him, he's got to tag him. I calmly say, the kid threw the ball all the way from the fence, the catcher caught it (these are 8 year olds), he's out. The coach looks at me for a couple seconds, then says, Yup, you're right.

 

[madguy30]

I can't help but think alot of this behavior is linked to parents throwing money they don't have at "training" and travel teams. Has to hit you pretty hard when you realize you've invested thousands and thousands of dollars for your kid to not be very good.

Think of how the kid's gonna feel when they have to go through realizing everything they do isn't amazing all of the time.

The blonde bomber in the video obviously didn't get tricked out just to watch some baseball.

I'm most excited about Florida's response.

 

[madguy30]

Apparently the 13 year old umpire asked the parents to stop swearing. One mom came out with a baseball bat. Another dad tried to stop her, then a bunch of trash people decided to take out the guy who was stopping the woman with a bat. Had nothing to do with a bad call. Just trashy people being awful. I'm sure they think everyone is just being "overly sensitive"

Yeah there's unnecessary outrage over everything, and then there's expectations of having basic public behavior and it seems we're getting further from the latter all of the time.

 

[CycloneVet]

Finally watched the video

1. Why is there always at least one ass who takes a cheap shot in these videos? Always some dickhead throwing a shot who's either not involved at all or just taking the free shot

2. In Jesus name that woman filming was annoying

Hey lay off the filmer she had the common courtesy to turn her phone sideways to film which is essential when filming fights

 

[SpokaneCY]

Agreed. That's sending a poor message to the kids of "hey you made a nice play so you get the out" vs "nice play, but he's still safe. thems the breaks"

The only people who cared about his call were the coach and him. No kids were harmed with a guy being grabbed out of the bleachers to ump a bunch of turd-droppers...

 

[NoCreativity]

This doesn't surprise me at all. On one of my social media outlets I have a friend that will post every little detail of her 7 and 9 year old's games. Im fully expecting to see her start posting their WAR and OPS at some point this season. Yeah, we get it, your kids "travel ball" team has 4 doubleheaders in Joplin this weekend.

People are nuts and take it way too seriously nowadays.

 

[drmwevr08]

This is why God will eventually wipe us out with another asteroid.

How pathetic.

 

[throwittoblythe]

parents who heckle other teams players in youth travel sports are a special kind of stupid.

This wasn’t the dad of a player from another team. This was the dad of one of my teammates heckling me.

As I recall, when I got to the on deck circle the next time, he shouted (10 feet from me): “hey 16, how about you try not to suck this time?”

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I'm most excited about Florida's response.

 

[Tailg8er]

As a high school basketball official who does 150+ games a year, this is the absolute truth.

Bring a young person in, let them see what we do as a team and they are all in.

Once they start year three, over 50% are fed up with the abuse and give up.

I'm starting year 3 of football officiating this year, not giving up yet. Granted, the fans aren't quite as close in football so that helps. Definitely have to have the right mindset for the job - I'm not out there to make friends.