ms244, I think this is a resonable topic to discuss and to be frustrated with as a parent. The same thing occasionally happens in dd's games. We have handled it, as I believe others here have mentioned, by having our coach bring it to the attention of opposing coach. That coach, most often, asks the offending parents to stop. This is just good sportsmanship. I believe I have seen an umpire quietly ask parents to stop as well. (our coaches would not tolerate things like this from our parents, and it sometimes shows me which teams I would not want dd to play for - some parents just like to get under opponent's skin) Don't know why posters here have taken this out of context. It was just a friendly discussion.
Calling pitches - by the parents?
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- Dec 25, 2010
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I don't think i ever said the ump was a jerk for not intervening or anything like that. I do however think that there are times, like this one IMO, where the ump couldve put a stop to something that IMO is a complete joke, especially in a game involving younger players, whether the rule book says he should or not. Instead of "it's not in my rule book, ill just allow it!" It's called being a good person.
Regardless of what some (1) umps here will tell you, if the players and coaches could here it going on, the plate ump would have to be totally deaf to not hear it..
Personally, as a 3rd base coach I usually know what the pitch is. Its not hard to pick, but I have never once tipped our batters bacause I'm not a dick.
It happend to us just yesterday. We were ahead at the time and still won the game. I noticed in the 4th a fan watching the pitch signs and yelling them to the batter. (yes we are sucky coaches and refuse to teach our catcher and pitcher to call their own game
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I opened the dugout gate and hollered HEY!, it quieted a bit and I asked him if he was having any trouble seeing my signs because I can just yell them to the pitcher if it would help them. He got a little red faced and went back to being a spectator.
I have never tollerated my parents to be a distraction to either team playing, I have released and lost several great players because of my strong stance in this area. Spectators who act this way 99 times out of 100 are losers in life. Bad marriages, no jobs, etc....
When it happens have some fun with them at their expense, its usually not hard to fluster them because of their low education. Other then that just play the game. I never get the umps involved with this petty stuff.
It happend to us just yesterday. We were ahead at the time and still won the game. I noticed in the 4th a fan watching the pitch signs and yelling them to the batter. (yes we are sucky coaches and refuse to teach our catcher and pitcher to call their own game
.I opened the dugout gate and hollered HEY!, it quieted a bit and I asked him if he was having any trouble seeing my signs because I can just yell them to the pitcher if it would help them. He got a little red faced and went back to being a spectator.
I have never tollerated my parents to be a distraction to either team playing, I have released and lost several great players because of my strong stance in this area. Spectators who act this way 99 times out of 100 are losers in life. Bad marriages, no jobs, etc....
When it happens have some fun with them at their expense, its usually not hard to fluster them because of their low education. Other then that just play the game. I never get the umps involved with this petty stuff.
Wow, I have started to post a personal experience here but I don't think anyone would actually believe it. Fact is I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes, and my own daughter being the catcher on the field.
I have witnessed, as have all of us on here, countless examples of parents that can't let go. Of people who believe that winning at any cost is the norm. When I got started in this, I naively thought it was just in our small corner of the yellow ball universe. But it seems to be an issue wherever there are parents, players and ball fields.
As an old gentleman in our area you to say about anyone that acted or behaved out of the norm "they gonna do what they gonna do! So what are YOU gonna do ?"
I know this really doesn't address the original post directly, but we as coaches/parents/admins/umps all should decide what we will tolerate and how we will handle it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as they say....
I have witnessed, as have all of us on here, countless examples of parents that can't let go. Of people who believe that winning at any cost is the norm. When I got started in this, I naively thought it was just in our small corner of the yellow ball universe. But it seems to be an issue wherever there are parents, players and ball fields.
As an old gentleman in our area you to say about anyone that acted or behaved out of the norm "they gonna do what they gonna do! So what are YOU gonna do ?"
I know this really doesn't address the original post directly, but we as coaches/parents/admins/umps all should decide what we will tolerate and how we will handle it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as they say....
OP said he thought it was "Bush League" and I 100% AGREE, he never said it was the Umpires job to correct it. I've seen Umpires get involved in those situations, but if it were my team I'd nip it in the Bud right away. As a Coach I have a certain expectation, of players and parents regarding there behavior. I don't let my girls do "negative" cheers (error!error!) and be respectful to opposing Coaches and the Umpires. Parents are adults and should behave that way, cheering and encouraging our girls should be the only "noise" coming from them.
Would this include taking pictures and videos of an opposing pitcher pitching "illegally" and taking it to the tournament UIC?
Yes I did take pictures (not video) and ask the UIC the NEXT day to ask him his opinion on the situation. This was solely because the HU and FU didn't call what I thought were illegal pitches based on the rule book. Did my actions change the game that we were playing? No, they didn't. I didn't get involved in the game, did I? Had I gotten involved into arguing with the HU or FU about them not calling the pitches illegal during the game then I would expect HU or FU to eject me.
I see that you are trying to catch me doing what I said that parents shouldn't do, but you failed. Nice try though.
This topic comes up every year. Bush yes!!! Hey you have a few choices on how to handle this without the umpires even knowing what is going on.
1) Look at the number on his or her shirt who is calling out location and bean that girl right in the back, then yell pitch, I said high and outside and waive politely at the instigator and ask if she is okay as she is standing on 1st. Repeat if necessary.
2) I have employed this just FYI have a parent go get a big old 32oz coke have him walk by the offending person, trip and spill that coke all over that dude or dudette. Make sure the spilling person aplogizes for his or her actions and grabs him one (1) napkin to clean himself off.
3) Have a parent on your team go sit right behind this yahoo and everytime he does it spit water, seeds, chew, anything will work right on his head. Make sure that parent knows how to play the look behind them game like where did that come from. Continue until person moves. If he continues repeat.
4) While not in the rules, I have seen umpires stop the game, warn the fan if it continues he or she will be kicked out along with the head coach. Under what authority I don't know.
If more sugguestions are needed just ask, I have other ideas. Spilling a can of chew on someone will get them moving in a hurry just fyi.
1) Look at the number on his or her shirt who is calling out location and bean that girl right in the back, then yell pitch, I said high and outside and waive politely at the instigator and ask if she is okay as she is standing on 1st. Repeat if necessary.
2) I have employed this just FYI have a parent go get a big old 32oz coke have him walk by the offending person, trip and spill that coke all over that dude or dudette. Make sure the spilling person aplogizes for his or her actions and grabs him one (1) napkin to clean himself off.
3) Have a parent on your team go sit right behind this yahoo and everytime he does it spit water, seeds, chew, anything will work right on his head. Make sure that parent knows how to play the look behind them game like where did that come from. Continue until person moves. If he continues repeat.
4) While not in the rules, I have seen umpires stop the game, warn the fan if it continues he or she will be kicked out along with the head coach. Under what authority I don't know.
If more sugguestions are needed just ask, I have other ideas. Spilling a can of chew on someone will get them moving in a hurry just fyi.
- Mar 15, 2013
- 69
- 6
Let me preface this by stating I have never read "the rulebook". I have played softball since I was 6: played LL, TB, high school , college softball and still play in a women's 19&over league now at the ripe old age of 44 (yes I am one of the oldest and yes I can still hang with the 20 year olds.) My DD plays 12u TB now. I say this because I have played in and watched A LOT of games, I never read the "rule book" because I wasn't coaching I was playing and knew the game but left the "rules" to the umps and coaches. I don't know what an ump "should" do but I can tell you it was appreciated as a player and now as a parent when an ump shuts down an a**hole. I usually sit in the outfield so I don't hear a lot of BS but a few weeks ago at my DDs 12u qualifier tourney, the ump asked the other team to "have some sportsmanship" when they started chanting things directed at my DD who was pitching (DD didn't even notice the other teams taunts...she was "in the zone"). I have also seen umps throw one of our own obnoxious parents out for being mouthy. No one EXPECTS the ump to do these things but it certainly made for a more pleasant game. I have also been to games where the ump removes people camped out behind the plate. Fine by me
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