"1-800-BAD-IDEA"....the Baseball Edition

Every Summer millions of young men across America play some form of organized baseball.

Most of those children have dreams of playing in the big leagues.

Somewhere around 99.99% of those dreams will be shattered somewhere along the way.

That's a fact of life. There are only 750 regular season slots in Major League Baseball.

This blog isn't about MLB. It's about Summer league baseball.

Specifically, the parents who interfere with the games during the season.

Take this man for instance.

Apparently, he took umbrage at the fact his son seemingly wasn't getting enough at bats.

It would seem he let it fester. His emotions apparently got the best of him.

He had plenty of options to choose from on how to handle it.

He could have:

1) Gathered up the facts, ascertained that his son was or was not getting the same number of at bats as his teammates, and talked it over with the Coach on the phone after the game.

2) Reminded himself that competitive youth sports is just that, competitive.

3) Taken his son home and spent time helping him improve his game. Teaching a young man that hard work has its rewards is incumbent upon every father.

4) Removed his son from the team in protest.

5) Make a call to "1-800-BAD-IDEA"

Well it seems the fellow went with the "phone call". Instead of handling it like a rational man would, he opted to walk down to the Coach and start cursing in front of the children.

Wow Dad, way to "man up".

The only thing the players could possibly learn from "Shouty the Screaming Dad" was if you don't get your way, yell at the top of your lungs.

Dollar on a dime bet the guy's ballplayer son was embarrassed beyond words.

"Shouty the Screaming Dad" was asked to leave the baseball field. Remarkably, he complied. It seems his better sense took over for a bit.

After the game, the Coach, thinking "Shouty" may have settled down, approached him in the parking lot to talk about the game's events.

Apparently they got into a heated argument. Words were exchanged.

Some of what happened next is subject to a police investigation.

What isn't in doubt is that "Shouty" did a full "Barney Fife", loading ONE bullet in a handgun, and pointing it at the Coach.
How the investigation shakes out is up to the police and their investigation of the incident.

Let me go on the record here as saying I, for one, am all for people being allowed to carry permit weapons. I am also a strong advocate of them being used properly and responsibly.

Organized baseball at the 10 year old level is about learning lessons. Teamwork, keeping your eye on the ball, always catching a fly ball with two hands, etc. Those are game skills. Another lesson, sad but all through life is that you may not be the best player. Some children will be naturally more adept at the game than you.

Competitive baseball is NOT an "Outcome Based" project. There have to be winners and losers. Just like in life.

If children don't learn how to lose, they'll never know how to win.

All you'll produce is a group of soon to be men that throw temper tantrums when they don't get their way.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.