Our Babe Ruth baseball game last night is an example of what's wrong...(a rant)

[FirstLight]

Yeah, I said it. Call me naieve I know parents have been behaving badly at kids' sports events for decades, but this was so blatant it was just apalling to me. I guess I am the snowflake now! lol

So we had a game last night. Usually it requires 3-4 people in the "booth" to keep score...one does the book (tracking each play, with some heiroglyphic annotation I can't grasp), one does the scoreboard, and then there's the announcer, who can also keep track of the pitch-count for each pitcher...

It is also the norm for the number of scorekeepers to be even, therefore avoiding bias.
Not enough of our Dodger-parents could help, I took my place as the usual announcer/pitch-counter.

They were going to have just ONE Giants mom up there running the board, and leave the book to one of the asst coaches in the dugout just so we had the written record for the game league. Well, the other Giants mom who knew how to do the book decided it was better to have someone do it than worry about bias...so she joins her friend in the booth. okay, fine, I was just trying to do the job and pay attention...

They then proceed to call up another Giants mom and make it a fucking party. They have their kids coming in & out, bringing them food and candy, playing on their phones, etc... and the moms are all gossiping, talking about how much they spent on their ($250)sunglasses, expensive shoes, who's getting a divorce, and their hair appointments etc...
By the way, they are also missing plays and screwing up the score.
(and yes, our team lost but that was never the issue)

Meanwhile my eyeballs are rolling so far into my head I'm about to sprain something.

Also, they are cheering, making comments to players at the plate, and also making derogatory remarks about our team and coach...from the "neutral" booth.

I wanted to throat-punch some bitches! (ETA: This is a euphemism, it's literally the LAST thing I would do. and yes I am ranting while typing, but it was more of a "oh god, let this be over" feeling ...but ya, I AM upset by the entitled attitude and yes, people flaunting their money is something of a nerve-hitter... so everyone who got upset because of this ONE sentence, please relax and understand it's just a rant. I'm allowed to be a little hyperbolic, ok?)
~~~~

This morning I sent a message to the league and pointed out the rule-breaking. Also pointed out that if the moms are going to blatantly refute the rules, how can they be a good example to the players? We'll see if anything comes of it.

You know, I have been in baseball with my son since elementary school...and even if I see some nepotism, it's usually very subtle. I also recognize that some of these folks donate time and money to the league, so they feel some sense of entitlement. Hell, who are we? My kids plays on scholarship cuz we're barely able to afford cleats...

But is it too much to ask that people act in accordance with the rules? How about common courtesy? In this era, it seems more and more that those who have it all take NO issue with flaunting it and acting like they can do whatever they want, because there's NO consequence...or conscience for that matter.

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Reality Checks are harsh.

It only gets worse as your son moves up in the Leagues. Found that of all the Sports that our family was involved with,Girls Softball brought out the most hateful remakes. As a Umpire at one time in the Girls Softball Traveling League,heard it all. And yes,people are mean and rude.

[gibraltar72]

2. Coached before I had a son to play

Then coached from T ball through little league. It's a lot like religion cliques and politics. Hard to overcome but I did it for the kids with some success. But that's another story.

[FSogol]

3. You "wanted to throat-punch some bitches!" WTF?

Gee, some parents at a family event were having fun with their friends and family. You should drop out of "helping out."

[MineralMan]

4. "I wanted to throat-punch some bitches!"

I see. So you didn't like the "moms" keeping the records? They're "bitches?" You want to physically attack them?

I think, perhaps, you are taking a children's game a bit too seriously. Really.

You might want to consider self-deleting this unfortunate original post. Really.

[FirstLight]

10. um, sorry it was an expression,

LOL
I am seriously the last person to do that!

[FirstLight]

11. If they wanted to keep score there is a decorum and guidelines

if they wanted to party, they belonged in the bleachers.

And their whole attitude of taking over the space, bragging about expensive stuff and letting their kids run in and out of the booth...not cool


sorry, I guess you don't get it

[MineralMan]

12. Oh, I get it just fine...

Yes, I do...

[jberryhill]

5. Might you have politely suggested

...something along the lines of "I hate to be a wet blanket, but maybe we shouldn't be cheering from the neutral booth" or some gentle suggestion to that effect?

[Mariana]

15. It's more satisfying, I suppose, to fantasize about physically assaulting them. nt.

[iscooterliberally]

6. I was a little league umpire for one season when I was in high school.

This was about 40 years ago. I wasn't a player, but my best friend's father was the league commissioner and asked me to help. I got paid about 10 or 15 bucks a game so it was some spending money. For the most part it was fun except for this one day. I was umping a game for some middle school aged kids so there was pitching involved. All of a sudden there was a huge ruckus at another adjoining field. The other field's home plate was right off of center field of the game I was working. It was a t-ball field. I had to call time-out on my field and run as fast as I could to the other field. The two coaches got into a full blow fist fight right in front of everyone. The poor umpire for that game was a 14 year old kid. How the heck was he supposed to stop two 30-plus year old men from duking it out? Anyway I got over there and kicked both coaches off of the field. I don't remember what happened to those two men, but the commissioner was furious when I told him what happened. Sometimes parents forget that it's about the children and not about them. I'm glad you sent a message to the league and I hope there are some consequences for the bad behavior on the parents part. Good luck!

[FirstLight]

13. wow

Yeah, I have seen even more aggressive behavior when we play the Reno league.... It's crazy. I know it happens, but I guess I am still naieve in that I hope that people would conduct themselves better...


Our coach texted me back and said, "Unfortunately many of the players on the leage mirror their moms..." DAYUM! Throw that shade!!! Our coach is like an Elder of the league too, he also coaches the HS and has been an Ump as well. He's all about the game and the book... old school.

I *Know* that there are parents who do more, contribute time and money and work over the years. I get it. But the women I am talking about are the ones who think because their husband bought an advertisement for the back field, they own the place...When all they do is shop and drink at the beauty parlor all day! seriously! :eyeroll:

[panader0]

7. There is way too much politics in Little League.

Both of my sons played, both were All-Stars, and both got less playing time than the coach's son,
who was a crybaby. But the coach was a cop, and is now Chief of Police in my town. Both sons saw
the BS and it eventually soured them on Little League.
Both daughters played Ponytail softball and went on to traveling teams. Both were outstanding and
also played for the high school team. I ended up being coach of the 'Flyers' and we went 14 and 1.
Ponytail softball was much less weird than Little League.

[demmiblue]

8. Whoa..."I wanted to throat-punch some bitches!"

Dude...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. WTF is this garbage here.

[treestar]

14. I for one will not take you literally about the throat - punching

It could be some very subtle indications of the rise of the Orange Dotard. I recall thinking how do you explain to kids some things are wrong if they can say the POTUS does it. There could be a sense of hey, may as well try to get away with it! Maybe if you just brazen it out, it works. Works for him. Without actually realizing that, of course. Money talks, and all that. The rules are for the little people. They are still little relatively, but may like their little subtle victories.

[FirstLight]

18. ya, see my ETA...

Edited to ADD that the aggressive feeling/statement was more because I am ranting on the keyboard and I am nothing like that!

and ya...it was the feeling of the "entitlement" that really got under my skin. I hate to be a class-warrior, but the line between haves and have-nots is thickening...and livng this life from paycheck to paycheck makes me look at these people sideways and get really pissed because they will NEVER know the stress of wondering what you will feed your kids before payday comes...

[Iggo]

16. It's not too much to ask.

Did you?

Ask, I mean.

Even something like, "Hey, hey! Neutral booth here. No cheering." (With a smile, of course.)

[FirstLight]

17. I wish I felt more confident...

Being the only one of my team in the booth...with kids and three catty richie women who think they own the league because their husbands buy advertising...I was intimidated. I don't want my scholarship revoked because they decide to get confrontational.

I was really more like "oh god, let's just finish this game"

I wish I had the balls to say it to their faces, instead of telling the coach/board after the fact.

They had another game tonight against another team. Wonder if it's just me or if everyone just flaunts the "no cheering in the booth" rule... but I tell ya, when I was working the games with dads and a couple other moms, we were all very discreet when happy for our team or kids...we also congratulated each other when a good play was made, regardless of the team.
See? SPORTSMANSHIP!