Little League Umpire Punches Coach & Throws Him to Ground During Wild Mid-Game Fight: WATCH
The umpire said he had no choice but to start throwing punches. Video of the fight doesn't appear to back up his claim
A youth baseball umpire and coach in California have both had charges filed against them for a violent altercation that occurred during a game over the weekend.
The fight went down after a heated exchange between the two over a call that didn’t go the coach's way. The umpire ended up ejecting the coach before throwing punches and rag-dolling the coach to the ground.
There's a kick thrown in that doesn’t appear to have landed before both of them end up on the ground, and parents and coaches get involved to break it up.
A heated exchange between an umpire and a coach turned into complete chaos as the two started fighting. (Image Credit: Getty)
Pack your bags, football fans! OutKick is sending one lucky winner and a friend to Athens for Georgia vs. Alabama. Travel’s on us, VIP tickets in hand, and bragging rights for life. Enter Now!
This was at a youth baseball tournament, so you know there were plenty of cameras rolling to catch the fight as it played out. You can’t become the next great MLB star without every second being recorded. Everyone knows that.
The umpire claimed he had no choice in the matter but to start throwing punches. The coach was doing what every coach since the beginning of time has done after all. The classic pointing, getting too close, and swearing like a sailor.
If you're an umpire and can’t handle that without punching a coach in the face, then maybe umpiring little league baseball games isn’t for you.
Tournament organizers said the two men were removed from the game and that they had been cited by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies. Police escorted them off the property, and they're now facing misdemeanor charges for mutual combat.
Tournament Organizers Call Out Parents Over Sportsmanship
The organizers also shared a statement with CBS News Los Angeles that, for some reason, threw a stray at the parents.
They said, "Unfortunately, some parents get way too involved, and it comes at the expense of the kids. ... Sportsmanship is key and should be passed through generations."
SIGN UP for The Daily OutKick. New Look, Same Attitude.
A spokesperson for the umpire – that’s right, a spokesperson for the umpire – threw his spin on what happened. He tried his best to make it sound as if the ump had no choice.
"The next thing you know, the guy is bumping him, sticking his finger in his face and calling him names. ... The video does not show the warning, the restriction," said the spokesperson, Don DeGrazia.
"He tries to get the coach to go back to the dugout, but as soon as the coach got the word that he didn't want to hear, he was ejected. ... The coach wants to jump up, start putting his hands in his face."
The video, while you can’t hear what's being said, doesn’t show anything that appears to require the umpire to start throwing punches. But what do I know?
Have a look and judge for yourself. Let me know what you think: sean.joseph@outkick.com.