I didn’t want to write about the brawl. You’ve seen it, I’ve seen it. As Dispatch columnist Slim Smith so eloquently put it, everyone this side of Beijing has seen it.
The actions depicted in that clip are horrifying. Disgusting. Ridiculous. And embarrassing.
I feel badly for those on the periphery of this story who are sharing the blame: Starkville Parks, who do a great job maintaining a world-class facility, Sports Performance Center, who sponsor 10 other teams you’ve never seen on YouTube and Grand Slam of Mississippi, who manages multiple tournaments every weekend that mostly go off without a hitch.
Competitive people are drawn to sports – even youth sports. Really competitive people flock to travel ball. From a baseball perspective, most coaches are former players and current dads whose sons want to play more baseball than 10-15 rec games per season. Everyone wants to win; that’s why they keep score.
While the actions of two adults and a couple of children are not an indictment on society, they might be a reflection. A typical Saturday at Cornerstone Park is pure Americana – scooters, snowcones, sunglasses and more unnecessary gear than a weekend hunting trip. But what’s more American than livestreamed violence? Aren’t we fighting a war via TikTok right now?
Tuesday morning, a representative from Grand Slam sent an email to coaches and parents updating its policy – zero tolerance for arguing with an on-field official. From now on, saying “anything” to an umpire will result in automatic objection for the remainder of the event. If a ban on the classic rejoinder, “Come on, blue,” is indeed enforced, you can expect more people in the parking lot than in the stands by the second inning of every game.
But I’m not here to debate how a private organization chooses to enforce its membership and participation rules – if you don’t like it, your kid doesn’t have to play.
And I’m not anti-fisticuffs, either. In fact, I may be one of the world’s last boxing fans. A sanctioned, refereed fight between adults is one of this country’s oldest sporting traditions.
So is arguing with an umpire.
If no one’s ever yelled at you for how you’re doing your job, you’re probably not doing anything interesting. Umpires sign up for it, accept it. Heck, I know a few who relish it. But it’s all good-natured banter. Or it’s supposed to be, at least.
Let’s not forget the 100-plus other games that went off without a hitch last weekend. Sure, coaches, fans, players and even umpires got mad sometimes. But, at the end of the day, it’s just a game; we shake hands after it’s over and move on.
I can’t tell you what happened before the shocking events depicted in that 45 seconds of video. But I’m willing to bet the conflict started well before that point. When you cross the line – regardless of the circumstances – you deal with the consequences. Both men depicted in that clip are learning that now.
This wasn’t an acceptable expression of frustration or a cultural barometer – it was a toddler’s tantrum in grown-up bodies, a regrettable reminder that sometimes the biggest children on the field aren’t the ones playing.
Philip Poe is sports editor. He can be reached at [email protected]
Philip Poe is sports editor.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
