One more time fans. Chill out!

Maybe I’ve just forgotten what it was like in years past, but fan behavior at prep baseball games this year sure seems to be worse than ever. I’ve sat shaking my head at almost every game I’ve attended this year. What I witnessed and heard Monday put me over the edge. Time to vent.
For way too many fans, even though they scream it all the time, they really don’t want it called “both ways.” They only want it called their way. Too many yell at the umpire for not calling a pitch a strike, when if the ump called that same pitch a strike when their team was batting they’d also scream foul. In other words, they seem to think certain pitches should only be strikes when their pitchers are pitching. Yes, umpires make bad calls sometimes. But it always has and always will be part of the game. Calling balls and strikes is not that easy. But from what I’ve heard, a lot of people in the bleachers sure seem to think it is. And from what I’ve seen, umpires can’t do right regardless. A lot of pitches are close. Whether umpires call those pitches strikes or balls, one side of the stands inevitably gives them a verbal lashing.
Even worse, is when fans who don’t know the rules scream at the umpires when they make a correct ruling. Here’s a sample. Runner steals, batter swings, foul tips ball into catcher’s mitt, catcher throws out runner stealing, fans begin yelling “It’s a foul ball. He gets to go back, it’s a foul ball.” Notice to those who yell this, you look silly and foolish to those who do know the rules.
Let’s take it up a notch. Even worse is when fans yell at opposing coaches who go out and talk to umpires trying to get a correct ruling or a ruling clarification, when their own coach does and should do the exact same thing. Sample: Coach thinks his batter was hit by a pitch so he goes out and appeals and seeks help from the base umpire. While he’s out there appealing, fans from his side yell and scream in support while fans from the other side yell “get off the field”, “sit down”, “throw him out.” When the umpire rules in favor of the first coach, the opposing coach then goes out and appeals the reversal, and the chants then reverse. Suddenly, “get off the field”, “sit down coach”, “throw him out” starts coming from the opposite side of the bleachers from fans who moments earlier were supporting their coach for doing the same thing. Evidently, to many, it’s OK if your coach appeals a call or a ruling, but it’s worthy of loud ridicule if the opposing coach does the same thing.
Now for the ultimate no-no. Fans who thinks it’s OK to yell anything at an opposing team’s player. Maybe in pro sports it’s OK to do this to athletes who make millions and charge a lot of money to watch them play. But never in high school sports. That’s just flat out the worst sportsmanship you can exhibit, and any fans who do this are crossing the line.
Here’s my list of simple rules for proper fan behavior at prep sporting events. Mainly, only yell support and encouragement at your own team’s players and coaches. Keep any criticism of coaches or players to yourself or talk about it quietly to those sitting close by. Let the umpires call the game. Trust me, your screams don’t get calls changed. They only make you look bad and like a whiner. And my big three: Do not yell at opposing coaches, don’t taunt or yell at opposing fans and never yell at opposing players. Show appreciation and support for the kids on the field, and tone down your criticism of all of the peripheral parties. Remember, we’re talking about kids playing games.
If you think I’m being a little harsh to the handful or more of boisterous fans that every team seems to have, I ask that you do something so you can see things the way I do. Attend a game in which you have no loyalty one way or another as to which team wins. Sit right in the middle of the two sides. Watch and listen. You’ll likely see plenty of fans who seem to have lost the proper perspective on high school sports. What you’ll probably see, with a new perspective, are fans who act just like you.