Don Briggs, Umpire, Ejects Crowd During Baseball Game

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa — An umpire has emptied the stands at a high school baseball game, ejecting the entire crowd of more than 100 fans for being unruly.

Umpire Don Briggs said he had no problem with any of the student athletes during Thursday's game between Winfield-Mount Union and West Burlington.

He said he had to take action because fans were being unruly, yelling and arguing.

However, West Burlington Superintendent James Sleister said he didn't see any unusual behavior and said he thought the umpire overreacted.

The game resumed after a 40-minute delay. West Burlington won 12-11.

The umpire called police as a precaution. West Burlington police officer Al Waterman says there were no arrests. He says he saw no unruliness himself.

Comments

[Sandmanj]

I don't know what really happened here, but I suspect the ump was telling the truth about the unruliness of the crowd, which apparently went back to good behavior as soon as the police arrived.

I'm one of those who's going to cheer: GO UMP! YOU DA MAN!

[ATSJer]

Gotta support the ump here, that took serious stones, and you're right; the police saying they saw no unruly behavior proves nothing at all. Poor ump though, he still has to live in that town and with the superintendent not supporting him he'll probably no long be able to call games.

[madisonhack]

My sentiments, exactly. The umpire has no vested interest in disrupting a game in a small town except to ensure that a brawl didn't develop which is altogether too common these days. I go with the ump on this one.

[cleveyucks]

Isn't there jurisdiction to who the umpire has control over? Like maybe the players? Or are you a proponent of the Unitary Umpire theory?

[CarolinaDem]

Long time ago I was in a game in Sinai where the crowd got to dancing around this calf and the ump made the ground open up and swallowed the whole lot of them. righteous. urp! Wat time izzit? hooze drivin?

[IAMGeorgeBailey]

The ump needs to eat more fiber.

[richdibo]

Maybe this umpire could do something about those pesky midge bugs in Cleveland's Jacobs Field - like kick them all out. Those bugs are also quite unruly.

[Catfish1968]

if it bothers Yankee pitchers, I'm for the midges.

[larry278]

Hey, it is Cleveland, Oh, The park is near Lake Erie. The State of Ohio protects all wild life. Violate Ohio fish & game laws; you get to speak to an Ohio Game Warden. If it's open season for midges & you don't have an Ohio license to harvest or hunt midge(s) you will have to go to court if you slap at a midge as the critter eats you or rests on you. If it isn't midge season, you get a summons to go to court. If you think a midge is hateful, you aren't going to be a bit happy about the fine the judge gives you; the judge could tell you to give the State of Oh a pound of flesh which surrounds your heart. Cleveland has heart surgeons who will collect your fine from you & give it to the State of Ohio, muy pronto, pdq. No, Shakesperes Portia doesn't practice in Cleveland or Cyahog-asomething County. Hire a local lawyer, cop a guilty plea with the prosecutor; you'll get off with a $500.00 fine.
Keep Oh green; bring money, lots of money.

[danusgram]

Its Obama's doing his fault.....­I like others can't resist it sorry

[LeftVetPatriot]

Yup White Librul Umpires enslaved by Obamanian Socialism!

[mcarlsonus]

We gots to fight da powuh!

[Bluejay00234]

lol

[hoobit]

I join the "good for him" folks. Yes, baseball is "just a game," but the participating atheletes are doing their level-best to *do* their best. As do the atheletes in *any* sport.

Having people in the stands/on the sidelines making disparaging remarks, making distracting commotion(s), and/or otherwise being obnoxious, is *not* showing respect for the effort the kids're putting forth. (And that'd be "kids" from Pee-Wee leagues all the way through the college-level in all sports.)

If us 'adults' can't be civil in our leisure, if we can't model civility to our young people by our actions at public events (and/or in private), why should we then be surprised that *they* 'act up' any old time of the day or night?

Old-fashioned rivalry between teams is one thing - it's part of the game; being disrepectful of the atheletes and what they are doing, is something else again - it should *not* be something the atheletes are subjected to. Fans need to show a bit -no, at this point, a whole lot- of respect...­they seem to have gotten away from that part of the game. Good for the Ump!

[larry278]

Very true, thanks. All of us need to learn the lessons that you are teaching.

[GoDogGo]

"I'm taking my ball and going home!" Ump was a big baby.

[CitizenIndie]

This guy will never, ever have peace in an umped game again. Big mistake cause fans never forget.

[KataVideo]

It'll be forgotten as soon as the varsity team moves on to college.

[Rimaroka]

Years and years ago, I played for a Midwestern college soccer team. I had been hurt during an earlier game and was thusly on the disabled list. Our games were played in the football stadium, but the press box was not open for us. A group of us injured and otherwise not active players broke into the press box and set up the PA system, all as a bit of a lark. While doing this, we're drinking schnapps and beer. We started to get a little strange and used the PA system a bit too liberally. Finally, the referee of the game showed us a yellow card. I'm serious, he did. In jest or not, I don't know, but we settled down after that, but the referee was definitely carding us. In all, much fun was had.

[eugenegerard]

Probably has really good hearing or has voices in his head.

[captainigor]

I could've sworn this was an Onion piece!!!

[yukoner1]

Sounds like one of those situations where the level of perceived authority is in inverse proportion to the perceived offense.

[KLordsha]

This guy sounds like the umpire version of "softball guy" >>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMfqbR8Ujlk

[booboo111]

Good thing he wasn't working a Phillies game.

[GBO]

Nice

[plan9]

We must have order. Listen, obey and comply.