List of Recent Bad Acts Links To Organizations That List Bad Acts Special Cases
Brookhaven, MS - November 22, 2008 - Mississippi's Brookhaven High School issued an interesting suspension. Following a fight involving a player, his mother and a spectator, the school suspended the head basketball coach. Brookhaven took a strong stand to pressure the coach to show leadership, but there may be details here that we'll never know. See High School Basketball Coach Suspended After Fight, Associated Press Wire published by Mississippi Sun Herald, Dec. 4, 2008.
Groveland, FL - November 20, 2008 - High School Football Team Facing Fines For Fight, Central Florida News 13.
Stuart, FL. - November 14, 2008 - Spectator Goes Nuts, Stabs 5 At High School Football Game. Cops use Tasers and Dogs to Break Up the Brawl. See Five Stabbed At Martin County High School After South Fork Game, TCPalm.com, November 15, 2008; Teen Accused of Stabbing 5 In High School Football Game Melee Still Loose, Associated Press Wire on FoxNews.com, November 17, 2008.
El Paso, TX - November 11, 2008 - Texas High School Cheerleaders Try To Win By Poisoning Opponents. See 3 Chapin Dancers Suspended In Tampering Of Snacks by Zahira Torres, El Paso Times.
Framingham, MA - November 11, 2008 - 100 Fans Rush Field in Wild Soccer Brawl. See Soccer Fight Being Investigated, MIAA Says by Norman Miller, MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA), November 14, 2008.
Nampa, Idaho - October 31, 2008 - Nampa High School Football Player Arrested For Punching Coach, KTRV - Fox 12, Boise, Idaho; and S. Idaho High School Football Player Arrested, Associated Press Wire, Oct. 31, 2008.
Seattle, WA - October 22, 2008 - Renton, Tyee Forfeit After Football Fight by Sandy Ringer, Seattle Times. It's bad enough that these schools had a fight, but this is a troubled league. In 2007-08, four schools had five players or more receive ejections. The problem is bad enough that the State High School Association has stepped in to try to work with league officials to come up with solutions.
Atlanta, GA - October 11, 2008 - Lakeside, Stone Mountain Game Turns Ugly Late by Todd Holcomb, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Seven player fight leads to early end in this Georgia football game.
Vestal, N.Y. - October 7, 2008 - Soccer game marred by spectator allegedly yelling a racial slur at African-American girls JV soccer players. See Horseheads Girls Forfeit Over Alleged Racial Slur by Nancy Doolilng, Ithaca Journal, Oct. 7, 2008. When these things happen, if you don't catch the offending party red-handed, you often have trouble proving it. That's what happened here. See No Evidence of Racial Slurs, Say Vestal Officials by Nancy Dooling, Ithaca Journal, Oct. 8, 2008, and Racial Slur Reports To Be Released by Nancy Dooling, Ithaca Journal, Oct. 9, 2008.
Amherst, Ohio - September 24, 2008 - Parent Accused of Attacking Youth Football Coach, newsnet5. This is a confluence of un-professionalism that turned ugly. The parent kept yelling at the coach to run a sweep. Finally, the coach did, and the play was unsuccessful. The coach then allegedly told the parent, "There's your sweep" and the parent allegedly responded by beating up the coach. Poor professionalism by a clearly frustrated coach and even worse thuggery by the idiot parent.
Salt Lake City, UT - September 22, 2008 - Parent allegedly hits an assistant coach with a helmet, knocking the coach out. See Parent Accused of Attacking Football Coach by Buddy Blankenfeld, ABC4.
Houston, TX - September 6, 2008 - Fight at High School Football Game Leads To Freeway Shooting, Fox 26 TV Houston.
Florence, SC - August 28, 2008 - Bench Clearing Brawl, Multiple Arrests, Helmet Swinging Mar Season Opener for South Carolina's Defending Football State Champs. See Brawl Mars Lake City's Upset Win Over Wilson by Kevin Smetana, South Carolina Now, August 29, 2008.
Wichita, KS - August 22, 2008 - We Thought Sportsmanship Bottomed Out When A Youth Baseball Coach Mooned The Umpire in Pittsburgh last week (See Coach Charged With 'Mooning' Umpire, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 15, 2008) now we know better. A debate coach mooned his opponent at Fort Hays State University. We have truly stooped to a new low. See Kansas University Fires Mooning Debate Coach, by Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press on yahoo.com, August 22, 2008. Click here for NPR coverage (In an interesting addition to the story, NPR says Coach William Shanahan argued with and mooned the opposing coach because he respected her). Click here for Fox News coverage.
Forsyth County, GA - August 21, 2008 - 9 Year Old Cheerleader's Mother Involved In Sports Rage Incident. Michele Rains, the mother, allegedly attacked the head of the Sharon Springs Cheerleading Association because she thought her daughter should have been transferred to a more experienced cheer squad. See Cheerleader's Mom Faces Battery Charge by Nancy Badertscher, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 21, 2008; click here for San Francisco Examiner version of the same story.
Pittsburgh, PA - August 15, 2008 - Sportsmanship 'Bottoms' Out. Coach Charged With 'Mooning' Umpire, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 15, 2008. Fayette County, PA youth coach "Jeffrey Kelley" is facing a disorderly conduct charge for his alleged "mooning" incident. For more see, Local Youth Baseball Coach Accused of Mooning Umpire, WPIX, Pittsburgh, Pa., August 15, 2008.
Ump Attacked, Fans Cheer. See Assault on Umpire 'Sickening', Fans Say by Kevin Cole and Susan Szalewski, Omaha World-Herald (Umpire Charles Andersen attacked, alleged assailant, Jeffrey Johnson, was father of one of the players). For More See: Umpire Alleges He Was Assaulted at Boys' Baseball Game, KETV 7, Omaha, NB, July 14, 2008. The Gretna Youth Baseball and Softball Association Took Strong Action Here. See Dad Banned From Games After Ump Bump: Gretna League Also Suspends Coaches, KETV 7, July 18, 2008, and The Umpire Strikes Back. See Bumped Umpire Files Lawsuit: Attorney Says He's Asking For Damages, KETV 7, Omaha, NB, July 30, 2008.
New Zealand - July 24, 2008 - Pushy Sports Parents: It's An International Problem, Too. 8 Year Old Ukranian Girl Banned From Tennis Tournament After Being Caught Getting Coaching Advice From Dad Through Hidden Earpiece. Dad Says He's Not A Pushy Sports Parent. Sound Familiar! See Earpiece Sees Tennis Youngster Banned, TV One News, New Zealand.
Philadelphia, PA - July 21, 2008 - Referee Gets Shot - Youth League Cancelled. See Shooting Victim Had Been Target Before by Kia Gregory, Philadelphia Inquirer, July 23, 2008.
Miramar, FL - July 12, 2008 - Summer Football Game Turns Ugly. See Pahokee Football Game Ends In Brawl by Jason Lieser, Palm Beach Post.
Jersey City, N.J. - July 5, 2008 - New Jersey Umpire Attack May Lead To Sports Rage Legislation. After New Jersey Parole Officer Thomas Lambert was charged with assaulting a 14 year old youth baseball umpire, New Jersey Assemblyman Ruben Ramos decided to work on sports rage legislation, mandating signage and public service announcements at all ball fields throughout the state reminding spectators about existing statutes that guard against sports rage at children's events.. Will it pass? We'll keep track of it. For details on the attack click here Also, see Father Seeks Changes After Son's 'Sports Rage' Incident by Melinda Vickerman, 1010 Wins, New York, July 24, 2008. Vickerman writes the The Jersey Mom Column in the Jersey Journal. Click here for a link to the Jersey Journal..
Columbus, Ohio - July 3, 2008 - High School Football: Two Fights In Stands Mar All-Star Game - Inaugural City League Contest Is Called With Eight Minutes Remaining by Mark Znidar, Columbus Dispatch.
Nashville, TN - July 3, 2008 - Tennessee Little League Parents Fight In Holiday Championshp Game. See Little League Game Erupts In Fight, 911 Call, Reported by Catharyn Campbell, WSMV TV 4, Nashville. The big games often bring out the worst in people. Many incidents occur when people realize that it's the last game of the season. Year end games have a lot of meaning and people also feel that suspension and ejection rules don't matter since there's no next game. Finally, championship games also bring spectators who may not go to a lot of other games; sometimes these people don't react very well. Game administrators need to be on edge at the end of the season - even if the championship is played during a holiday.
Parma, N.Y., June 30, 2008 - Post-Game Handshake Attack Kills Adult Softball Player. See Hilton Man Dies After Assault At Parma Softball Game by Claudia Vargas, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. For more on this story see Hilton Ballplayer Dies After Punch To Head In Parma Softball Game by John Boccacino and Claudia Vargas, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, July 1, 2008 and Upstate Man Dies After Softball Game Altercation, WNBC TV New York, N.Y, July 1, 2008, and Police: NY Man Dies After Assault At Softball Game by Ben Dobbin, Associated Press Wire Service in San Francisco Chronicle, July 1, 2008, and Athlete Accused of Fatally Punching man Spent Time in Prison Washington Post, July 2, 2008 page E02. version. This game was marred by trash talk. Sadly that trash talk spilled over into a post-game handshake line attack. Worse, Sean Sanders, the man accused of delivering the fatal blow, punched the victim, Daniel Andrews, in the back of the head. A lot of bad elements combined here. First, trash talk is something that athletic administrators constantly work to quash. Often athletes say it's harmless fun. It's not. Trash talk often leads to retaliation, and sometimes that retaliation is physical. Second, post-game handshakes may be an excellent and traditional display of sportsmanship, but they also offer angry people a free cheap shot at opponents. There are a lot of post-game handshake line incidents. In heated games, post-game handshake lines need to be monitored closely. There's no harm in suspending a post-game handshake where conditions warrant - although if one looks at the post-game handshake line incidents on the sportsmanship page of this site one will see that any sports administrator who tries to eliminate post-game handshakes - even temporarily - will come under an immediate media assault (remember, the local press isn't responsible for actually running the games and they have no idea of some of the problems that may occur in someone's leagues - in other words, they're uninformed). Third, blows to the back of the head are cowardly and they're also extremely dangerous.
Detroit Man Takes The Game Too Seriously - Shoots Opposing Fan. See Detroit Man Charged In Shooting Death Following Youth Football Game by David Josar, Detroit News, June 20, 2008.
Edmonton, CA - June 5, 2008 - A Dozen Players From Youth Soccer Team Launch Post-Game Attack On Parent. See Edmonton Boys Soccer Team Suspended After Soccer Dad Swarmed, Camwest News Service on Canada.com, June 16, 2008; and See Teen Charged In Soccer Attack Says He Wasn't There, Reported by Sonya Sunger, CTVEdmonton.ca, July 23, 2008.
June, 2008 - Plate Umpires Literally Under Attack: A plate umpire is hit by a pitch in a Georgia High School Game. Was it on purpose? Sure looks like it. The Georgia High School Association thought it was on purpose. They fined the school. The catcher lost his college scholarship - the college didn't want anybody who'd do this. Were they right? You can see the stills and the video by clicking on the June 18, 2008 Life of Reilly Column from ESPN The Magazine. Think this is the only time, think again: A California catcher told the ump what was coming! The catcher told the umpire he was gonna miss one. The ump took a fastball in his mask, ejected the catcher and the California Interscholastic Federation's North Coast Section did the right thing - a lifetime suspension! As of June 27, 2008, the catcher's appeal is pending. It's dangerous enough without catcher's trying to get the umps hurt. See Home-Plate Umpires Find Themselves In The Line of Fire by Paul White, USA Today, June 18, 2008 (foul balls lead to rash of concussions for plate umpires.
Snohomish County, WA, May 27, 2008 - Snohomish County Baseball Game Ends In Assault, Reported by Jim Forman, King TV, Seattle, WA; See Youth Sucker Punch Caught On Tape, Reported by Jim Forman, republished on WSAZ TV, Charleston, W. VA for video. This game ends with a sucker punch in the post-game handshake line, caught on tape.
Talladega, AL, May 19, 2008 - Parents Little League Brawl Results In More Security, Reported by Jeremy Campbell, ABC33/40, Talladega. Talladega instituted a one dollar parking charge to pay for a security guard at all youth games in the wake of this incident.
Enid, OK, May 19, 2008 - Highway Patrol Officer Allegedly Attacks Coach Who Cut Son From Baseball Team. See Enid Baseball Coach Claims Assault by Off-Duty Trooper, The Oklahoman, May 21, 2008.
New Jersey Dad Closes High School Season By Allegedly Choking Ump: See Randolph Dad Accused of Choking An Umpire During High School Game by Bill Swayze, Newark Star-Ledger, May 13, 2008; Randolph Man Jailed For Assaulting Umpire by Matt Mahochio, New Jersey Daily Record, May 13, 2008.
Staten Island, May 13, 2008 - Girls Soccer Game Ended By Fight by Kevin Flood, Staten Island Advance (SILive.com).
Wilson, N.C., May 12, 2008 - Prep Soccer Fight Involves Players, Coach by Nick Stevens and Dane Huffman, WRAL
Nashville, TN, May 12, 2008 - It's A Cowardly Knockout of The Worst Sort: Youth Coach Allegedly Attacks From Behind/Knocks Out Ump. See Coach Accused of Knocking Out Umpire, WSMV TV.
Portland, OR, May 10, 2008 - Fighting Adults Go "Cuckoo" at Portland Little League Game. See Police Called To Little League Game As Adults Fight, KATU TV, Portland.
Denver, CO - May 7, 2008 - Youth Coach Dismissed After Assault Arrest by Mike McPhee, Denver Post.
Denver, CO - April 29, 2008 - Brawling After Teen Ball Games Injures 5: Police are Unsure Whether The Melee outside Eaglecrest High Was Related To Gangs Or Race by Kieran Nicholson and Howard Pankratz.
Putnam City, OK - April 18, 2008 - Cheer Coach Attacked by Parent - Apparently Because Daughter Didn't Make Team. See Woman Arrested In Stungun Attack on Cheerleading Coach, Newsok.com, April 30, 2008; Was Putnam City North Attack Connected To Tryouts? by Jesse Olivarez, Newsok.com, April 23, 2008; Cheerleading Coach Attacked With Stun Gun, NBC12 firstcoastnews.com, April 25, 2008. Click here for national television news coverage
Knoxville, TN - April 23, 2008 - A Most Inappropriate Coaching Technique - Loudon Baseball Coach Told To Stop Making Boys Fight by Hugh Willett, Knoxville News Sentinel, April 23, 2008 (middle school baseball coach toughens up players by having them box each other).
Sparta, TN - April 3, 2008 - Three Arrested After Altercation on Baseball Field: High School Coach Assaulted by Jody Sliger, Sparta Expositor.
Long Island, N.Y. - March 31, 2008 - Post-game handshake problems in New York where a Hofstra University assistant football coach playing in a touch football Rec League punched an opponent in a post-game handshake line after a game. See Hofstra Asst. Football Coach Arrested In Touch- Football Assault by Bill Mason, New York Newsday.
Portland, OR - March 20, 2008 - Man Tries To Shoot His Opponent After A Pick-Up Basketball Game. See Portland Man Arrested In Attempted Murder Over Basketball Game by Cheryl McDermott, Bend Weekly News, March 20, 2008.
Layton, UT - March 15, 2008 - Post-Game Handshake Problems Mar Utah Baseball Game. See High School Baseball: Fight Mars Pirates' Comeback Over Lancers by Michael Black, Deseret Morning News.
Flint, MI - March 6, 2008 - Columbiaville Amateur Hockey Player Pleads Guilty In Assault of Referee by Paul Janczewski, The Flint Journal (65 year old player in Rec League attacks 17 year old teen-age ref).
Charleston, AR - March 6, 2008 - Youth Basketball Ref Assaulted by Parent, 4029tv.com, Charleston, AR and Teen Referee Assaulted; Man, 33, Pleads Innocent, Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Tulsa, OK - March 1, 2008 - Girls' Coach Injured In Altercation At Game: Police Allege That A Player's Father Grabbed the Preston Coach By The Throat by John D. Ferguson and Curtiss Killman, Tulsa World, March 7, 2008.
Bakersfield, CA - February 22, 2008 - Fight After Soccer Game Sends One Student To Hospital, One To Jail, Bakersfield Californian. For tv coverage see, Bakersfield Student Arrest After Soccer Fight, ABC 30 Bakersfield, CA.
Clackamas, OR - February 17, 2008 - 6th Grade Girls' Coach Leads Fans In Abuse of Referee and Physical Attack on School Administrator Who Tries To Invervene. Coach is arrested and charged with "criminal trespassing of a sporting event." See Aggressive Behavior at Game Leads To Arrest of Basketball Coach, SalemNews.com, February 17, 2008, and Tempers Flare at Girls' Basketball Game by Joe English and KATU TV Staff, KATU TV Portland, Or., February 17, 2008. One interesting note is that Oregon actually has a law that requires spectators, coaches and participants to leave a game site when ordered to do so by an official. This is part of a modern trend to empower and protect officials. See Oregon Revised Statutes 164-276 and 164-278.
Amherst, N.Y. - February 12, 2008 - Student Tasered After Spitting On Opposing High School Basketball Spectators, Then Running From Police. See SH Teen Arrested After Spitting Incident, Albany Democrat Herald, February 12, 2008.
Pacific, MO - February 11, 2008 - Fan Assaults Referee at PHS Basketball Game, emissourian.com.
Waco, Tx - Feb. 1, 2008 - Spectators Out of Control At Waco, TX Basketball Game - Police Called In, One Fan Pepper Sprayed, and Game Stopped - See Fight Breaks Out At Local High School Basketball Game, KWTX-TV, Feb. 1, 2008
San Diego, CA - Feb. 1, 2008 - Soccer Coach Allegedly Chokes Player, Punches Spectator During Huge San Diego HS Soccer Melee! See Walk-On Coach Jailed After Allegedly Provoking Brawl by Kristina Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, February 2, 2008. No Charges Filed Against Coach In Soccer Brawl, Channel 10 News San Diego, February 5, 2008. Coach Says he was just trying to stop the fights at soccer game!! See Choking Accusations Bogus, Suspended Coach Says by Chris Moran, Feb. 7, 2008, San Diego Union-Tribune. Click here for video of the fight.
Chicago, IL - Jan. 23, 2008 - Multiple Fights Break Out After Chicago Basketball Game - See 15 Teens Arrested In Brawls After Proviso Basketball Game In Hillside by Josh Noel, Chicago Tribune, January 23, 2008.
Canada, Jan. 17, 2008 - Violence Against Officials Hits Canada: 4 Attacks Against Hockey Officials Casts Pall Over Youth Hockey Community. See Hockey Officials Fed Up With Abuse by Don Campbell, The Ottawa Citizen, January 17, 2008.
Montgomery County, MD - January 12, 2008 - Coach Admits He Assaults Official: The Coach admits pushing official's face out of anger where his athlete was disqualified from a track meet because her uniform didn't meet NFHS standards. The coach was reacting to an incident that made national headlines as the Muslim athlete claimed religious discrimination. Details of the incident can be found on the officials page at the officials and the law link. The key point to note is that all coaches who attack contest officials feel that an injustice has been committed, but the way to resolve a matter is not, should not be, and cannot be to attack the official. For details on the controvery see When The Rules Run Up Against Faith: Prep Athlete Wearing Muslim Clothing Disqualified From Meet by Alan Goldenbach, Washington Post, January 16, 2008 page A01. For the coach's admission see Hate Mail Follows Controversy Over Muslim Track Star, WUSA 9 Washington, D.C., January 16, 2008. For a rules explanation: Click here for the National Federation of High School's Explanation of The Rules and see Officials: Religion Not Issue In Runners Exclusion by Chay Rao and Stephanie Siegel, Montgomery County Gazette Net, January 30, 2008.
Indianapolis, IN - January 12, 2008 - 2 Shot As Fight Spills From High School Game Into Streets, IndyChannel.com, January 12, 2008.
Wilmington, Delaware - January 11, 2008 - Police Investigate Fight At High School Basketball Game, Wilmington News Journal, January 11, 2008.
Putnam Cty, FL - January 11, 2008 - Fans, Spectators Clash In Putnam Cty HS Hoops Game. School Officials Initially Ban All Spectators, but back off to allow immediate families to watch. See Palatka Softens Ban On Basketball Spectators by Justin Barney, St. Augustine Record, January 16, 2008, and PHS Hoops Brawl In the Hands of State Athletic Board by Andy Hall, January 17, 2008.
Portland, Oregon - January 8, 2008 - Out of Control Spectators Swarm Court, Cause Game Cancellation. See Grant at Benson: Game Canceled Because Of Fight, Oregon Live.com, Jan. 8, 2008. Brawl Halts Benson - Grant Game At Half, KOIN TV Portland, Jan. 9, 2008.
Rockville, MD - December 18, 2007 - Fans Call African-American B-Baller "Monkey"! See, Students Accused of Racially Taunting Basketball Player, NCB4.com.
LINKS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT LIST BAD ACTS
Fans Behaving Badly - The Florida Today Little League Bad Act Site.
National Association of Sports Officials
Half Moon Bay High School, CA - Half Moon Bay High School Fans Have A Tradition of Streaking During High School Football Games and Allegedly Have Used Racial or Homophobic Epithets Against Visiting Teams On More Than One Occasion. See Racial Slurs Spark Fury by Heather Murtagh, San Mateo Daily Journal, Nov. 9, 2007; and Sequoia Threatens Penalty In Football Melee by Jason Goldman-Hall, San Francisco Examiner, Nov. 9, 2007, and No Proof About Who Taunted Sequoia High Players, Fans by Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 9, 2007 page B8. Streaking, Racial and Homophobic Slurs, and Overall Poor Sportsmanship At Half Moon Bay High School Football Games Sparks Civil Grand Jury Investigation. See Grand Jury Questions HMB High School Plans, San Mateo Daily Journal, July 15, 2008. See San Mateo County Grand Jury Report of 2008 on Addressing Unacceptable Behavior At Half Moon Bay High School Sporting Events..
Camden High School, New Jersey - Camden High School Has Been Removed From the New Jersey State Tournament Three Times In The Past Thirty Years For Unsportsmanlike Incidents, Lack of Crowd Control, and Other Problems. For A Description of These Problems See Athletes Must Learn Violence Is Not Okay, New Jersey Courier-Post, March 11, 2006.
ONGOING PROBLEMS AT RICH SOUTH H.S. IN ILLINOIS: Rich South High School has been beset by sportsmanship problems over the last year. They have had difficulty solving them, and not all their attempts to do so have been well received.
March 2005: Racial Overtones as white schools want to leave Rich South's Athletic Conference.