Video: A Little League Umpire Reminds a Coach That America's True Pastime is Kicking Ass

Shutterstock Images.

If there's one truism about youth sports is that it should be all about the kids. About teaching them life lessons. Preparing them for adulthood. Instilling the proper values in them. And among them are teamwork, self-reliance, hard work, practice making perfect, and how to never take shit from anyone. 

At least that's the abject lesson this umpire gave two teams of lucky kids. And they'll all be better for it:

KTLA - Parents and children were stunned after a violent brawl broke out between an umpire and a coach during a youth baseball game in Rosemead.  …

Witnesses said the assistant coach had approached the umpire multiple times, visibly upset about a call in a previous play. When the umpire ejected him from the game, the coach reportedly spat in the umpire’s face and yelled, “You’re a fing little b*!”

The umpire dragged the coach to the ground and attempted to kick him before both men attacked each other as they scuffled on the ground. Bystanders ran over to break up the fight as stunned children and parents looked on.

“When you feel threatened, instincts just come into play,” said Don De Grazia, a man who spoke on behalf of the umpire. “He’s an exceptional young man. He served in the military. He’s a professional athlete himself.”

The youth baseball organizer, Herman Baca, released a statement saying, “Unfortunately, an umpire and coach fought during a game this past Sunday. Both parties were removed from the game and local enforcement arrived to handle this matter. …

[S]portsmanship is key and should always be passed along through generations and followed.”

“I think it’s unacceptable that he was doing that in front of little kids, 12-year-olds,” said Alejandro Alfaro, a resident who saw video of the brawl.

“I feel like, just every adult, in general, you’re taking care of a team,” another neighbor said. “You should be a leader, an example.” 

Here it is from a couple of angles:

Zoom. Enhance. …

I'm sorry, Herman Baca. You're obviously no Hannibal Barca, because he knew a thing or two about how to give a battlefield assessment. "An umpire and coach fought," you say? Show me where the coach put up any kind of what could be called "a fight." Oh, he started one alright. But it's the ump who finished it. He settled that punk's hash and right quick. 

Oh, and "sportsmanship is the key"? Not exactly. The real key is that when a guy calls you "a little fucking bitch" to your face, you handle your business. Which this ump did. All this mealy-mouthed parents can spew platitudes about "unacceptable" behavior and how adults should be leaders and set examples. Well what better example could this ump have set? 

This isn't something any kid should be learning at a ballfield. It should be taught in the home. Back when we were a proper country, we taught kids about having honor. How it was more important than safety, security, or even life. Proud men were willing to die rather than dishonor themselves. If the price of not getting hurt in a brawl was to stand there and take it while some stranger call you "a little fucking bitch" in front of the world? Well then by golly, you dropped the sticks and gloves and showed him what kind of bitch he just messed with. And you respected any man who stood his ground and defended himself. Which is exactly what this "exceptional" young military man and professional athlete did. And the real bitch in this, the one who couldn't finish what he started, will think twice before he tries to play the bully to another ump. Pass that along to the next generation. 

In the word of the great Duke Wayne in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, "Out here a man settles his own problems." He was referring to the Old West. Let the same be true in that other great, American insitution: The baseball diamond. It's rough out there. 

And it takes a special breed to handle it. This ump, and the one who took three shots to the pills, they can each drink from my canteen any time. Learn from them, kids.