I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, little league umpires do not get paid enough to go through stuff like this.
Every once in a while, a video pops up like this to remind us that there are some truly horrible people out there. I’m a believer in the theory that there are “more good people than bad people” out there, but a little league coach respecting an umpire and, let’s say, shaking the ump’s hand doesn’t scream “viral video” like this one does.
So as much as I’m sure (and I hope) that there are plenty of other good interactions between youth couches and umpires, I will still take some time to shine some light on this bad example, if only to call out the guy who was ignorant enough to get violent in front of a bunch of kids.
Now to play devil’s advocate, I do think that the umpire missed the call at home plate. The slide had perfect form and great plate location, and to my eye, it looked like the runner was touching home before the tag came from the catcher.
However, in no way, shape, or form does that give the little league coach a pass to come out to the umpire and get in his face with the intensity of a MLB manager arguing the last out of the world series.
Clearly the fans (parents of the players) were already letting the umpire know he might have missed the call, so there was no real need for the coach to come blazing out of the dugout like he did.
Plus, it appears that it is only the bottom of the third inning, and assuming that the kids will play a shortened game of six innings, there was still plenty of time for the TX Phenoms to come back against the Toros 10U team.
My favorite part of the video is the moment right after the blown call when the umpire bends over to start brushing the plate off as parents yell at him. It is a real classy way to “keep the game moving,” but it also put him at a disadvantage because the ump didn’t get to see the coach in blue angrily stomping over towards him.
The two exchange their dinner plans (that’s sarcastic of course) rather vehemently, and it doesn’t take long for the umpire to break out his “YOU’RE OUTTA HERE” arm motion.
He might have done it a little too emphatically though, because before the umpire could even get his arm back down, the little league coach powerfully pushes the ump down onto the ground.
Those in the stands let out a chorus of gasps and “oohs,” followed by one person yelling out what sounds like the name:
“Robbie!!”
Was Robbie the coach? Or the umpire? Probably the coach right? I’m sure the umpire’s family wasn’t there to watch him call balls and strikes.
I’ve never heard “Robbie” shouted out with such sheer terror either, so I’ve got a feeling it’s someone close to the coach who couldn’t believe that Robbie just bodied the umpire like that.
Afterwards, coach just walks back to the dugout like nothing happened, while the other umpires rush to help their fallen friend, and the kids around the diamond look on shell-shocked.
I don’t make the Little League Baseball rulebook, but I think it would be safe to say that the coach in the blue shirt should never be able to be a coach again, and probably should no longer mentor our youth. If they come out with the XFL version of baseball though, he should be the first person they call to coach.
Check it out:
