Tough decision...what would you have done?

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Last year was my first year of umpiring. I was told during my training that there would be situations that would really catch you off guard. Here was one of them. As a coach, parent, or umpire, how would you have ruled?

I was behind the plate for a 14U Rec fastpitch game. In the third inning, the home team was making a pitching change. The young lady taking the circle had the use of only her pitching hand. Her other hand had a physical deformity that made it unusable. She tucked the glove under her armpit, threw the pitch, then put her pitching hand in the glove to receive the return throw from the catcher. (Some of you may remember the major league pitcher, Jim Abbott, who did this as well) This switch over process was not done very quickly or smoothly.

When I saw what was going on, I, and my partner (who has twenty-some years of experience from rec to the college level), went over to the coach to express our concern over the safety of this young lady. He said that she had pitched previously this year and no other umpires had expressed concern. As she was not wearing a mask, and because it was obvious that she could not protect herself from a line shot up the middle, we told him that we would not allow her to pitch. This brought the mother from the stands who was not pleased with our ruling. She said that we were discriminating against her daughter. We explained that our primary concern was the safety of the players and that we were going to stand by our decision. The player in question then went out to the outfield were she finished out the game.

Mom contacted our association the next day and we were told by our president that we should have let her pitch. There was nothing in the rules or guidelines that prevented her from doing so and that we had no authority to stop her if both the coach and mother agreed to put her in the circle.

I am curious as what others think should, or should not have been done.

 

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You made the right call. You weren't discriminating. I would have done the same thing and would have put the mother in their place. Then I would have told my boss in a respectful manner telling him about the rules of safety. It's sad that the mother does not see the whole picture.

About three years ago, I had a girl on the rec team I coached who shouldn't be playing ball. She wante to pitch. I told her all year that she had to work on it. I saw her working on it and told her parents that she needed to work on her reflexes just in case a ball would be smacked back at her. They did and in the last game of the season, I let her pitch, to one batter. One pitch over the umpires head, another bowling, a third almost into the first base dugout, and the last one batter's head level. I pulled her of course. I said I would let her pitch and I did. No one complained.

 

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That is a tough one for sure. On one hand you want to see her over-come her disability, but on the other there is a very real possibility of injury.

When in doubt, error on the side of the safety of the child. I would make the mom sit down and watch some of the injuries that have occured from "comebackers". My dd is a pitcher with cat like reflexes and she has had many close calls, there is no way I would put her on the mound with only one hand. You did the right thing in my book.

 

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That's a tough one. I think I would have forced her to put a mask on if she wanted to continue the game, as a safety issue. I have no idea if that is in the rule book or not but that is what I would have done.
With the hitters like they are now, I would NEVER put my dd in the circle without protection if she could not protect herself. My dd can protect herself and actually is a pretty good fielder for a pitcher and she wears a mask...we've seen the results of the line shots to the face and she won't pitch without it.

 

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It is a tough call, but rules are rules and as a umpire you need to know them. She should have been able to play. Safety is important. It's almost saying since the players are not wearing their face masks (which i personal think a parent who lets any kid play without one is an idiot) they cannot play due to safety.
My call: LET HER PLAY

 

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It isn't a mask issue, it is a no hand to wear a glove to defend yourself issue. If she could make the switch quickly, that is one thing. But if it isn't quick enough to stop a line drive, than she should be forced to wear a mask. That's why there are exceptions to every rule.

 

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As an ASA District Commissioner as well as an ASA umpire, you cannot discriminate based on a handicap. Let her play.
What if a girl was obviously way too slow to react even with a glove on without a physical handicap?? What if a third or 1st baseman position themselves 10 feet from homeplate without an indication that the batter was going to bunt?? These are also "unsafe" situations.
I would suggest that you pull the coach aside and recommend that she or any other player should wear a protective mask as a "RECOMMENDATION". If the player did get hurt, it sure would look bad on the coach that he/she had this recommendation and did not react on it.
As a fastpitch Softball Director, I would insist on any slow reaction player to wear more protection in our program.

 

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Talk about a no-win situation. You could be sued for discrimination under the ADA on one hand. Let her play and she gets hurt you could be sued for allowing it to happen. Yes I know her parents had to sign a waiver, but you get a hurt kid and that piece of paper can be worthless in a courtroom.

 

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I understand your dilemma.

However, the responsibility for the safety of the player falls first on the parents, then on the coach. If both of them are okay with the girl playing without a mask, then "play ball". If some unfortunate event occurred where the player would get hurt, they would both feel horrible for making a bad decision, I'm sure. But the bottom line is that it's their call.

Let's say that there was a 3rd baseman with very slow reflexes playing. Everyone knows that sooner or later she's going to take one in the noggin', but you, the umpire, wouldn't - and couldn't - prevent her from playing (even though you'd like to). The handicapped girl pitching is no different.

 

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If there are no guidelines & both mom and coach say it is okay, then she should be allowed to pitch.
Does the rec organization have any say in these situations? Can they set their own guidelines or is that discrimination also?

 

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I understand your dilemma.

However, the responsibility for the safety of the player falls first on the parents, then on the coach. If both of them are okay with the girl playing without a mask, then "play ball". If some unfortunate event occurred where the player would get hurt, they would both feel horrible for making a bad decision, I'm sure. But the bottom line is that it's their call.

Let's say that there was a 3rd baseman with very slow reflexes playing. Everyone knows that sooner or later she's going to take one in the noggin', but you, the umpire, wouldn't - and couldn't - prevent her from playing (even though you'd like to). The handicapped girl pitching is no different.

Keep in mind that it was a rec game. Chances are that the parent only sees about 16 games a year and has never seen a comebacker. Coach could be someone who volunteered because no one else would and hasn't the first clue. I think that frame of reference makes this a little different.

 

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I had the opportunity to watch the young lady in question play, well assuming it is the same young lady since you don't see a bunch of girls like this on the field.

She is quite the athlete and my dd and I loved watching her play. If mom and coach are ok with it ump has to be ok with it.

being rec. league prolly not an issue if it is the same kid however I think if she was my kid I would have her wear a mask.

Just my opinion with masks in general, they are like seat belts use them to prevent injury and mangled faces not cuz a kid is afraid.

 

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Yeah, I agree with Louuuuuu that it's the parents' job to make that decision, but I don't blame you. We never know what situations we'll be confronted with and having to make snap decisions on something unexpected is much more difficult than being able to read a situation on here, then think about it, and make a call.

The Penn State assistant, McCreary, had the ultimate situation like that when he discovered Sandusky in the shower with the boy. It's easy for all of us to say exactly what we would have done, but I have some sympathy for McCreary.

 

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The Penn State assistant, McCreary, had the ultimate situation like that when he discovered Sandusky in the shower with the boy. It's easy for all of us to say exactly what we would have done, but I have some sympathy for McCreary.
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I don't

 

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You let her play. It is possible for injury at any postion at any time.There
are coaches in coaching boxes that have a slower reaction time then she
has.maybe they should wear a mask too,lol.

 

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The Penn State assistant, McCreary, had the ultimate situation like that when he discovered Sandusky in the shower with the boy. It's easy for all of us to say exactly what we would have done, but I have some sympathy for McCreary.

not trying to derail the thread, but you hit the nail on the head here. I employ many college students seasonally. One recurring theme is that they just are not mature enough to tell an adult no, tell them off, etc. Even at that age they are very much submissive to an adult.

 

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You discriminated against this girl and embarrassed her I'm sure. Yes it is very stupid for her to be pitching with-out a mask but it is very stupid for any girl. What if a pitcher WITH two arms was pitching with-out a mask and the way she finished left her face vulnerable, would you boot her? If third base was with-out a mask and playing so close she surely would not be able to react in time to a hard hit at her face would you boot her? Get the association to make a rule or get the wizard to give her coach and parents some brains otherwise just enforce the rules. JMHO

 

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The safety of players does start with the parents and then with the coaches, but we all know that sometimes parents and coaches don't always do whats best for these young ladies. I think if she wore a mask then she should have pitched, no mask no pitch.

 

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Yeah, I agree with Louuuuuu that it's the parents' job to make that decision, but I don't blame you. We never know what situations we'll be confronted with and having to make snap decisions on something unexpected is much more difficult than being able to read a situation on here, then think about it, and make a call.

The Penn State assistant, McCreary, had the ultimate situation like that when he discovered Sandusky in the shower with the boy. It's easy for all of us to say exactly what we would have done, but I have some sympathy for McCreary.

and....if the parent does not make the right decision, it is on the coach to make it.... regardless of what the parent says. She's under the coach's supervision, he is also responsible. In our program, if you don't like our mandated facemask rule, then go play with another program. In 5 years, that has not happened, not even almost.

 

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Should have let her pitch. The girls safety is her parents responsibility. I remember a young girl from Bethel a few years ago who played while wearing oxygen. It was a good thing to see and she could hit.