Have you ever been out?

[CoachJD]

Not as a coach (twice as a player; only one of those times was deserved).

There are three times I probably could have been, but in all three cases the umpire was wrong, and I think they probably knew it.

First time we had a newish ump, but not a young ump, who told me when we had a five-run lead that he wanted to keep the game close. Also kept asking me when I was going to put in my subs ("When and if I feel like it"). The opposing coach and I had to help him with a bunch of rules throughout the game because he was clueless. He made a series of calls during the final inning to get the other team back in the game. With us still up by one, a routine grounder to short. Throw beats the runner by a couple steps. I start to walk on the field to congratulate the girls. He looks directly at me and signals safe. I screamed in his face for a good minute or so. I'm guessing he didn't toss me only because he didn't know he could. We got the next out and the game ended in a tie.

Second time was on a play where my SS was knocked into next week by a runner on a steal attempt. Clear case of malicious contact (and my SS ended up missing the state tournament with a concussion). The runner was called out because the SS held onto the ball, but I wanted the ejection. The base umpire is very good, and I wasn't even mad at him despite the fact he didn't throw the girl out. As I'm at second base tending to my injured player, the home plate umpire, with whom I had history, came out and said something uncalled for. I don't even remember what it was, but I went off on him. Ended up calling the assignor mid-game and cussed him out for sending that guy when I said I never wanted him working our games again for previous unprofessional behavior.

Third time was two years ago. Home plate umpire showed up to the game, said he wanted a time limit. I said there weren't any. He had places to go and was more interested in finding a place to change after the game. During pregame meeting he mentions jewelry. I know that, per the rules, a religious medal is OK. Our leadoff hitter gets up to bat, sees one pitch, he calls her out. So after explaining to him that A) an out call is not the penalty for the first offense and B) a religious medal is permitted, he says he "can't undo the out." At that point I told him I wanted the check back because he didn't deserve to be paid, and I asked the base umpire (same one from the previous story; he umps most of our games) if he had his gear because I didn't want that guy calling our game because he didn't want to be there in the first place.

I stopped screaming at umpires this year because, while they absolutely have deserved to be screamed at every time I've done it (never over stuff like balls and strikes or a simple missed call), I've noticed it really negatively affects the team. They feed off that negative energy, and even though I'm out there trying to fight for them, they always play worse. Now I just file special reports with the state association in hopes that these guys are stripped of their certification. It's probably just as useless as yelling at them, but ya never know if reporting the umpire who went out of his way to embarrass a girl on the other team by calling time, walking to home plate, taking the bat out of the hitter's hands, and asking "what are you gonna do with this?" ("Hit" "Then swing it") because she disagreed with one of his strike calls might actually effect change.

 

[YOCOACH]

Well good stories Yocoach, but you should never get yourself thrown out of a rec game, especially if the umpire, however lazy or incompetent, is by himself. Especially the runner leaving early. The umpire is looking at the pitcher, not down the first (or third) baseline to watch runners. I once called out a runner on 2nd leaving early, but that’s it. I’ve had a couple coaches in rec tell me to watch the runners, they leaving early. I said to them, don’t tell me, tell your league to hire another umpire, that’s his job.

That was darn near 20 years ago when I was still learning the game, thought that rec was the end all-be all and before I truly understood the responsibilities/duties etc. of the umpires.

 

[BigSkyHi]

Got myself thrown out of the game a few times intentionally so the kids could go out and do battle as a team without me. Apologized to the umpires after the game.

 

[MightyMO]

Got myself thrown out of the game a few times intentionally so the kids could go out and do battle as a team without me. Apologized to the umpires after the game.

I had a high school basketball coach who would do the same with technicals. He told us before the season that there were times where he felt like it was needed so don't be surprised if it happened. Sometimes it was to rally the team, sometimes it was to prove a point in a game that was out of hand. I even heard him say he was going to do it and proceed to walk out on the court and yell at the ref until it happened.

 

[_MIA_]

Yes but not as a coach because, well, I don't coach. My best was I got tossed from an intramural basketball game

 

[mmeece]

Twice as a player. Once for using one of the magic words, but not to the umpire, to another player who was asking me to fight. The other time I was actually yelling to a teammate (who was one of my best friends) and the umpire thought I was yelling AT him. Still don't know what he THOUGHT I said. Never as a coach, though I came close in my early days.

 

[Hawk_]

As a player, a couple times.....in 20 yrs of coaching all different sports, never. Been close a couple of times

 

[uncdrew]

I'm pretty slow, so I do get thrown out at third a lot. I can usually steal second.

 

[jacman]

Almost, in a middle school game. We were home, tied in the bottom of the 7th. I sent a girl up as a re-enter to pitch hit. We had runners on first and second with 1 out. Ump would not allow her to bat. Said there was no rule allowing any player to re-enter the game. I argued as much as I could, but I could see he was even thinner on patience than I was. So no pinch-hitter, and the hitter in the line up hit a soft little loop to the pitcher, who doubled off our runner at 1st. We lost in the next inning.

After the game, I caught up to him off the field with my rule book in hand and showed him the rule. He read it, tossed the book back to me, and told me the book was wrong. Walked off, never once looking me in the eye. It's been probably 7 or 8 years back and I'm still mad about it.

 

[Strike2]

One time...in a T-ball game, but I was reinstated an inning later by that same umpire.