Another one for the file.

[guero_gordo]

Tournament this weekend, opposing team hits a popup to LF. One of the opposing dads shouts out "Foul ball!!" in his best loud-and-authoritative voice.
It's fair by about TEN YARDS, LF catches it routinely.

One of our own moms then actually suggests that I do the same.
I ask her in full voice from 8 seats away: "Why would I want to do that, so I can be a d-bag too?"

 

[Rambler34]

How about this situation in 8U? Runner on third with one out in bottom of last inning. We are up by 2 and are the visiting team. It's a no brainer that for a ball in the infield the play is at first. Well they hit one back to the pitcher which should be an easy out at first but the opposing coach yells "HOME" like he is instructing our defense. Girl in the circle freezes long enough to not get the out at first and of course when she went to first they sent the runner home.

 

[EP Dad]

How about this situation in 8U? Runner on third with one out in bottom of last inning. We are up by 2 and are the visiting team. It's a no brainer that for a ball in the infield the play is at first. Well they hit one back to the pitcher which should be an easy out at first but the opposing coach yells "HOME" like he is instructing our defense. Girl in the circle freezes long enough to not get the out at first and of course when she went to first they sent the runner home.

Unsportsmanlike conduct. Pretty sad at 8U.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Unsportsmanlike conduct. Pretty sad at 8U.

Agreed.

If it affects the play, the ump should penalize the offending team for the behavior of their fans via the unsportsmanlike conduct rule.

I'd also warn the offending parent and toss them if they said another word.

 

[shockcoach]

ASA rulebook

INTERFERENCE: The act of an offensive player or team member, umpire or spectator
that impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a
play. Contact is not necessary.

With the fan, I'm going to rule interference and go with 8.6.L and call the play dead and the BR out. All runners return.

With the coach interfering, I'm going with 8.7.M or 8.7.O and call the runner nearest home plate out.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I can remember it happening on a bunt. We were batting. The opposing coach yells "foul ball!". The catcher picks the ball up and tags my runner, who held up when she heard "Foul Ball!"

 

[CoachAl]

interesting!

I've seen this too....and I'm sure it give those "coaches" and "parents" (using those two terms very loosely here!) a tremendous amount of satisfaction that they are just clever enough to outsmart an 8 or 9 year old girl. I'm sure they feel real proud after that! Seriously, I would really like to see ASA and USSSA umpires take better of control of these situations...no warnings, no second chances. you do something like that at a youth softball game - you are gone from the dugout or the stands! no exceptions!

 

[MTR]

ASA rulebook

INTERFERENCE: The act of an offensive player or team member, umpire or spectator
that impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a
play. Contact is not necessary.

With the fan, I'm going to rule interference and go with 8.6.L and call the play dead and the BR out. All runners return.

No you're not. As the umpire, you have no authority over the fan. period.

With the coach interfering, I'm going with 8.7.M or 8.7.O and call the runner nearest home plate out.

You can try, but you are in a no-win argument. Real simple, the coach states he was directing HIS/HER runner. You going to call the coach a liar?

Like it or not, the player's have a responsibility to know the game and what they are supposed to do and the coaches job to get them to that point.

 

[obbay]

Like it or not, the player's have a responsibility to know the game and what they are supposed to do

I would disagree at U8. The Blue should've called the runner out for the coaches interference. any adult would see the situation for what it was. I've coached from U7 to U18 and with all of the kids we never told them which base to run to, we just told them to go or stay/come back.

You going to call the coach a liar?

\
yes, either that or a jackass.

the officiating needs to be appropriate for the level of play. at U8 they are supposed to be learning the right way to play, not the bush league way.

 

[quincy]

All Issues cannot be resolved at the actual games. Sometimes they have to be taken up with the people who are running the Leagues or tournaments after the fact. Who would want someone like that being like being described Managing a Team or in the stands?

IDK but there are a bunch of people yelling the umpire advice about a call, nothing mean hearted about it. Players sometimes get caught up into it, they need totry and play and ignore all the noise.