TEXAS

     Assault Archives

2005

BASEBALL — Terry Thomas, a coach from The Colony Little League in Texas, never made physical contact with umpire Justin Nichols during a 2004 game, but he threatened to. And Thomas was convicted for disorderly conduct (threat/abuse) as a result. Thomas, who did not receive any formal discipline from the league, was convicted June 21, 2005, and was ordered to pay $100.

The incident occurred July 9, 2004, during a Little League game at the Five Star Sports Complex. After Nichols ejected Thomas, the coach said, “You’d better run for your life to the parking lot (after the game).” Nichols felt threatened because Thomas was wearing a sheath on his belt that contained scissors and a yellow screwdriver.

SOFTBALL – Umpire Justin Skiles, 21, suffered two broken bones in his hands and cuts and bruises when he was attacked while umpiring an April 12, 2005, men’s softball game in Odessa, Texas. Umpire Justin Bartlett, 19, was also struck when he tried to help Skiles. The four players involved face Class A misdemeanor assault changes and a life ban from Odessa Softball Unlimited for allegedly attacking the umpires.

According to Skiles, the assaults occurred after he ejected two players on an Odessa recreational team for using inappropriate language and later tossed out a third team member after the player threatened Skiles.

2002

SWIMMING - A man was arrested after shoving the referee into a swimming pool during a morning swim meet among children in San Antonio. Benjamin Mora was not injured in the incident that centered around his disqualification of the parent's 8-year-old child. (February 2002)

2000

HOCKEY – Enraged by a no-call during his son’s hockey game, Gordon Jardin reacted by grabbing one of the officials by the jersey and dragging him over the boards. The police reacted by arresting Jardin and charging him with simple assault.

The incident occurred April 30, 2000, during a game between Plano and Grapevine high schools in Texas. With about a minute left in the match, officials broke up a scuffle between players. While the referees were determining which players should be penalized, Jardin walked from the stands to the Plano bench, grabbed linesman Shawn Kraemer by the collar, put him in a headlock and yanked the official over the boards. Jardin was upset that no penalty was called on a Grapevine player who had allegedly hit Jardin’s son, a player for Plano.

BASEBALL - An assistant coach is ejected during a Pony League Game between the Astros and Reds,in Alvin, TX, for arguing a call and refusing to leave the field. The coach eventually leaves the field and after the game, returns in uniform, as a police officer (Sergeant). He follows the umpires out of the ballpark with his cruiser, and eventually pulls them over and gives the driver a ticket for failure to signal intent. This incident eventually was brought to the media's and the officer's headquarter's attention. The officer was demoted to patrolman, and is pending possible criminal and civil charges, for alleged abuse of power. (05/01/00)

1997

BASKETBALL - A recreation basketball league commissioner and coach were found guilty of assaulting a referee, at a game in Dallas, TX. The referee was punched in the face.

(State of Texas - Statistics Jan, 1997)-100 ejections reported of adult coaches from games of players in grades 7 to 12, twice last season's total.


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