it’s time to get serious about stopping attacks on refs and umps

I know it’s Easter Sunday and as such, I have a special treat for you later on in the podcast. It features a salute to Jackie Robinson, and I’m pretty sure you won’t want to miss this special moment.

In short, I’m going to play the actual recording from 1956 of Jackie’s last major league hit.

Again, that’s coming up in a little bit, but first up, unfortunately, we have to once again focus on the nonstop and continuing violent attacks on refs, umpires, and officials at our kids’ sporting events.

Look, this kind of criminal behavior  - and that’s what  it is - has become so routine and so pervasive that for whatever reason, we just can’t seem to stop it.

Last Sunday I mentioned an incident in which a bunch of 8th grade basketball players from Alabama who were playing in a church league tournament in Georgia. Apparently the kids were so angry and upset by losing in a lopsided game that they vented their unhappiness by attacking and beating one of the ref’s who was working their game.

When the beat down was complete, the ref – an adult – had to be taken to a local hospital where he received 30 stitches.

And then, this past week, a Mississippi youth league girls softball umpire posted a picture of her badly bruised face on Facebook after she was punched by an angry mother in the parking lot after the game was over.

The umpire, Kristi Moore, was sporting a serious black eye and facial bruising after the confrontation with Kiara Thomas, who was reportedly waiting to ambush Moore after Moore finished umpiring a bunch of 12-year-olds playing softball.

That’s right…12 year olds playing softball. Something has to be done to finally put an end to this terrible behavior. And that’s what I covered in the podcast - plus as a bonus, the actual recording of Jackie’s last major hit here which my Dad broadcast in 1956. Listen to it here: The Sports Edge with Rick Wolff