Could/would you walk away? (not what you're thinking)

[SamG]

This should be a different one...

DD playing in the losers bracket of a tournament. DD's team up 1-0 bottom of 5th (we're visitors). Batter steps up in box and looks like she's crowding the plate. Our team's fans are on 3rd base side. To see how close she is to the plate, I get up and go directly behind the plate. Coincidentally, two fans for the other team are already sitting at the fence, so I stand behind them.

On one pitch the batter's foot is about 3-4 inches from the plate (batter's box is erased by this point). On the next pitch, her back foot is basically right behind the plate (her toes would be touching the plate if the plate was "deeper").

Me: "Watch her back foot blue, watch her back foot".

One of the fans sitting in front of me (obviously a grandfather, he's obviously in his upper 60's, early 70's) gets up and comes around to me telling me to go back to our fans. I tell him no and stand and watch. Batter still has her foot behind the plate, so again I say "watch her back foot".

Other Fan (now abbreviated OF): "You're a G-d punk. What if I stand behind you?" and proceeds to stand right behind me.
Me: I say nothing.
OF: "You're a G-d punk." Then SHOVES me toward our fans.
Me: "What are you afraid of? (meaning 'why don't you want me standing here', not the best choice of words)
OF: "G-d" something or other, "I'm not afraid of you" and SHOVES me again.

At that point, one of our other parents comes up as does one of the other teams other parents. PU stops the games and calls the coaches over. Other teams' coach tries to calm their fan down. PU tells us if it doesn't stop he'll eject someone. For the record, as soon as OF shoved me, I held my hands up because I wasn't going to touch him.

So it ends there, the game continues and the home team ends up winning 2-1.

After the game, I apologize to our team's coach AND the other's team's coach.

So, where would you have walked away from this? I'll be honest, I have a hard time with someone telling me "go sit over there" or anything like that. I'd like to think I'd react differently if it happened again (walking away), but don't know if I can.

 

[Momo'sDad]

I like those tournaments which restrict the area directly behind the backstop to scorekeepers only.

When I'm coaching, I don't want anyone associated with my team or our players talking to players, umpires, coaches, or to fans of the other team. Cheer good play, encourage the players when they seem down, but otherwise, shut up. I realize I can only control my dugout, but maybe someday, more people will figure out the best way to enjoy the game.

In your situation, SamG, you never should've been behind the plate, let alone speaking to the umpire, so you were wrong before the first comment was uttered.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I agree with Momo'sDad. I am not certain what you were trying to point out to the umpire, but I am certain that he didn't appreciate it.

 

[CoogansBluff]

When I'm coaching, I don't want anyone associated with my team or our players talking to players, umpires, coaches, or to fans of the other team. Cheer good play, encourage the players when they seem down, but otherwise, shut up.

In your situation, SamG, you never should've been behind the plate, let alone speaking to the umpire, so you were wrong before the first comment was uttered.

Perfectly said.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Probably should not have walked behind the backstop in the first place (definitely should not have being instructing PU as to what he should be looking for. He probably knows his job). Both you and the other fans were out of line.

I too like those tourneys in which they restrict that area.

 

[TimothyJ]

Sorry Sam, but I'd also have to say you were in the wrong.
You're a spectator. i.e: not part of the game, and had no business talking to the umpire while the game is being played.

While the of's reaction wasn't great, one could say you were basically interfering in a kid's softball game. You're bound to get a negative reaction.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

I agree you were out of line. What you should have done was inform your DD's coach and let him/her handle it (if he/she decided it was worth bringing up).

However, in your very limited defense, the PU could have easily enforced the batter's box by taking the bat from the batter and drawing the proper inside boundary in the dirt. I have done this many times - as have many other senior blues I have worked with. Allowing the batter to crowd the plate to the point where there is simply no way for the pitcher to pitch inside without hitting the batter is just plain lazy IMHO.

 

[FPMark]

Let's see... you walked over where the other teams parents/fans were sitting, and started telling the ump to watch out for their team violating the rules, more than once. What kind of reaction were you expecting? Not saying I agree with the OF's actions, but you did kind of instigate it. If you thought it was important, you should have gone to your teams head coach and told him about what you saw. Of coarse, he may not have appreciated it either. What you did is commonly called "interfearing" with the game.

 

[LAdad]

Gimme a break! You-all are claiming to never call anything to the umpire about perceived missed plays or infractions? Ineffective as it may be, this kind of advice and opinions is yelled at umpires all the time.

If spectators are allowed behind the backstop, then of course spectators from both teams are allowed there. However, it does seem customary that, when standing behind the backstop, you don't call advice, whether to the umpire, the batter, or the pitcher. That may have been what ticked off the other fans (not that that justifies the cursing and shoving of course).

 

[MagicDad]

Sorry to take this in a different direction but was the batter not legally in the box. I thought that touching any part of the batters box was concidered being in the box. So it's very possible the batter was in the box with just her heel touching the so called line. That's a tough call to make. Also if someone would answer this since I'm new to softball when you have a slap hitter doesn't the batter only need on foot in the box.