Umpire tosses the Music intern in minor league game

[George Anderson]

throwing out the DJ for playing 3 blind mice after a close call is bush league. I could see if if the guy continued to do so after every call, but grow some thicker skin and move forward.

Ok so you think playing 3 Blind Mice is ok after a questionable call but what about the Mickey Mouse theme? Or in the situation I had, a PA announcer made the comment over the PA that my partners call stunk. Is that ok or is just a song like above ok to mock the ump?? If all of the above are ok then how often is it allowed to be done? Anytime the organist wants or just once or twice a game? If it is ok for the organist to insult the umps by calling them blind then why not the players or manager? Or at the very least the grounds crew?

Here is an idea, why doesn't the organist, the PA announcer, the players and managers and anyone employed by the club just simply do their job as a professional and not resort to taunting the umpires?

[powersackers]

It's called a PA announcer and not a DJ.

If someone associated with a team is doing something insulting or demeaning to an umpire then yes it is grounds for ejection. I have seen trainers, batboys, scorekeepers etc... that were ejected and they were all warranted.

A PA makes announcements. "Now Batting yada yada". He should not comment on the gameplay.

A DJ Plays music for fan entertainment. The Reds have a DJ and a PA. You can tweet requests to the DJ by using hashtag #redsDJ during the game. He can play whatever he wants inbetween game action. End of story.

[CySeymour]

I think confusing the expected conduct of team employees and fans is pretty off base.

[RedFanAlways1966]

So does an oppossing player have the right to eject oppossing fans who mock him too much for poor plays in or off the field?

No. If that fan crosses the "line", then the home team ushers/security should eject the fan. An opposing player cannot eject anyone (well perhaps he can eject himself). He can complain to stadium officials about it.

There are a lot of "lines". When you cross it, then you pay the price. A music/DJ/organist needs to learn those "lines". Implying that an umpire is blind after a call by playing "Three Blind Mice" is not only belittling... it is crossing the "line". Some umps might laugh it off. Somr might not. I can see and agree with both types of umpires. But I will not give an umpire who ejects that person grief for it. Rather I will tell the music person that you were wrong and should show a little more respect for that paid prefessional. You are not a fan, you are an employee. You are an entertainer, but not at the expense of another paid professional.. who has the right to toss your "line-crossing" self.

[REDREAD]

It's called a PA announcer and not a DJ.

If someone associated with a team is doing something insulting or demeaning to an umpire then yes it is grounds for ejection. I have seen trainers, batboys, scorekeepers etc... that were ejected and they were all warranted.

Why are Umps supposed to be some kind of god immune to teasing?

Geez, lighten up a bit. I don't understand why you are proud of forfieting a game in the 7th inning.. this is just kids playing a game.. Think of all the families that invested time to come to this game, only to see it forfeited over something silly.

It's ok for fans to put up banners making fun of players, etc..
It's ok for the PA announcer to play funny music when the opposing manager visits the mound, etc
Why are umps immune to this? Geez.

[WMR]

No one mock the poor umpires! Those fragile egos cannot take it!

[Caveat Emperor]

Ok so you think playing 3 Blind Mice is ok after a questionable call but what about the Mickey Mouse theme? Or in the situation I had, a PA announcer made the comment over the PA that my partners call stunk. Is that ok or is just a song like above ok to mock the ump?? If all of the above are ok then how often is it allowed to be done? Anytime the organist wants or just once or twice a game? If it is ok for the organist to insult the umps by calling them blind then why not the players or manager? Or at the very least the grounds crew?

Here is an idea, why doesn't the organist, the PA announcer, the players and managers and anyone employed by the club just simply do their job as a professional and not resort to taunting the umpires?

I'd submit there's a word of difference between a playing a nursery-rhyme song to entertain the fans and yelling a jeer at the umpire. If you can't distinguish the context as an umpire, you need to seriously re-evaluate your level of self-importance.

[CySeymour]

Why are Umps supposed to be some kind of god immune to teasing?

Geez, lighten up a bit. I don't understand why you are proud of forfieting a game in the 7th inning.. this is just kids playing a game.. Think of all the families that invested time to come to this game, only to see it forfeited over something silly.

It's ok for fans to put up banners making fun of players, etc..
It's ok for the PA announcer to play funny music when the opposing manager visits the mound, etc
Why are umps immune to this? Geez.

If the PA announcer was behaving as george anderson was describing, then yeah, it was within the umps right to call a forfeit. As a parent, I would have been more upset with the PA announcer then the ump.

[medford]

Ok so you think playing 3 Blind Mice is ok after a questionable call but what about the Mickey Mouse theme?

I say no big deal if the DJ does it. Not sure what the exact Mickey Mouse them is, but if they did the Hot Dog Dance song, I'd love it.

Or in the situation I had, a PA announcer made the comment over the PA that my partners call stunk. Is that ok or is just a song like above ok to mock the ump??

Not OK, but not really reason for an ejection by the ump. Grow thicker skin and in the case of the PA, the team should handle it intenrally and let the PA person know that in game comments are not welcome, just the facts

If all of the above are ok then how often is it allowed to be done? Anytime the organist wants or just once or twice a game? If it is ok for the organist to insult the umps by calling them blind then why not the players or manager? Or at the very least the grounds crew?

the DJ would be within their rights to mock the manager, I've seen it before at Reds games where the oppossing manager comes out to argue and they put up a crying baby image on the big screen. Again, all in fun. How often, only often enough that it stays fresh and is w/n reason. IE, you have a close call in the 1st and do, then again in the 2nd, then again in the 3rd, quickly it becomes old hat. Pull it out once a game when the home fans are already booing and it adds something to the game for the home fans to enjoy. The Grounds crew shouldn't be yelling anything at the oppossing team or manager good or bad.

Here is an idea, why doesn't the organist, the PA announcer, the players and managers and anyone employed by the club just simply do their job as a professional and not resort to taunting the umpires?

The organist and DJ's job is to entertain the fans. Mocking an ump w/ 3 blind mice can occasionally be amusing. I know hearing 3 blind mice play in the background is the worst thing an Ump has ever heard.

And yes, my grandfather was an NFL ref for many, many seasons, so I've heard them all (actually I'm sure many were censored).

Or is an umpire or referee suppose to immune to criticism? We all know they screw up at times, and I think most level headed people recognize that they do a wonderful job 99% of the time.

[hebroncougar]

You umpired at what level?

High school and college summer ball. Sorry, I missed that question.

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[George Anderson]

Why are Umps supposed to be some kind of god immune to teasing?

Geez, lighten up a bit. I don't understand why you are proud of forfieting a game in the 7th inning.. this is just kids playing a game.. Think of all the families that invested time to come to this game, only to see it forfeited over something silly.

It's ok for fans to put up banners making fun of players, etc..
It's ok for the PA announcer to play funny music when the opposing manager visits the mound, etc
Why are umps immune to this? Geez.

Actually the coach forfeited the game by his refusing to do as I directed to remove the PA announcer. If you want to play the poor kiddies, parents etc card then play it towards the coach.

Also just what ball park allows fans to bring in banners to make fun of players and what do the banners say ?? If I am not mistaken MLB does not allow banners in their parks making disparaging comments of others. I am also not sure what park has "funny music" when an opposing manager visits the mound. What park is this and what do they play? Regardless of what you find, making disparaging comments over the PA or playing songs over the PA that are mocking the job the umpire is doing is not defensible. It quite simply is bush league and unprofessional. The umpire is on the field to do a job and allowing paid employees of a professional baseball team to mock or insult him just to amuse the masses is horribly insane.

[REDREAD]

If the PA announcer was behaving as george anderson was describing, then yeah, it was within the umps right to call a forfeit. As a parent, I would have been more upset with the PA announcer then the ump.

Isn't George umpiring a high school game though?
That's a lot different than the Reds PA announcer mocking the ump.
The high school PA guy is some unpaid volunteer, doing this job to help the school.. Yea, it's not appropriate for him to broadcast "The umps stink" (I think that's what George said)

But forfieiting the game is a huge overreaction.

In the incident we saw with Mez, Fairchild clearly escalated the conflict to stroke his ego.. Fairchild should also be subject to suspension for iniating the contact.
Umps are abusing their power.

Canceling a high school game because someone (even the PA announcer) yells "the umps stink".. talk about overreaction.
Yea, George asked them to remove the PA guy, but it's not as if the school has a backup all ready to go.. I mean, give me a break.. that's not a reasonable request.

How about the ump just sucks it up, acts mature and continues the game.

[George Anderson]

I say no big deal if the DJ does it. Not sure what the exact Mickey Mouse them is, but if they did the Hot Dog Dance song, I'd love it.

Not OK, but not really reason for an ejection by the ump. Grow thicker skin and in the case of the PA, the team should handle it intenrally and let the PA person know that in game comments are not welcome, just the facts



the DJ would be within their rights to mock the manager, I've seen it before at Reds games where the oppossing manager comes out to argue and they put up a crying baby image on the big screen. Again, all in fun. How often, only often enough that it stays fresh and is w/n reason. IE, you have a close call in the 1st and do, then again in the 2nd, then again in the 3rd, quickly it becomes old hat. Pull it out once a game when the home fans are already booing and it adds something to the game for the home fans to enjoy. The Grounds crew shouldn't be yelling anything at the oppossing team or manager good or bad.



The organist and DJ's job is to entertain the fans. Mocking an ump w/ 3 blind mice can occasionally be amusing. I know hearing 3 blind mice play in the background is the worst thing an Ump has ever heard.

And yes, my grandfather was an NFL ref for many, many seasons, so I've heard them all (actually I'm sure many were censored).

Or is an umpire or referee suppose to immune to criticism? We all know they screw up at times, and I think most level headed people recognize that they do a wonderful job 99% of the time.

I simply disagree, if you think this behavior towards officials is ok then by all means I hope you encourage it. Just keep in mind any official worth his grain in salt IMO is not going to see the humor in it and thus eject as necessary.

[George Anderson]

I'd submit there's a word of difference between a playing a nursery-rhyme song to entertain the fans and yelling a jeer at the umpire. If you can't distinguish the context as an umpire, you need to seriously re-evaluate your level of self-importance.

Personal attack aside, calling an official blind whether through a song, a hand written note from the bat boy, a cupcake decorated with "you suck" on it or simply as a jeer are all insults. An insult results in an ejection. It really is that simple.

[hebroncougar]

I simply disagree, if you think this behavior towards officials is ok then by all means I hope you encourage it. Just keep in mind any official worth his grain in salt IMO is not going to see the humor in it and thus eject as necessary.

Yeah we will agree to disagree then. No reason any official, umpire, etc. can't have humor in an instance like this. I'd keep in mind, with that attitude, if you're that serious don't miss any calls. Coaches, fans, and players might take your calls as serious as you do and get on you for it. Of course, you can eject them.

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