Denton umpire pressing charges against baseball coach he says attacked him
IRVING, Texas - An umpire from Denton says he's going to press charges against a boy’s baseball coach after an incident during a game this weekend. He says the coach attacked him.
The umpire is at home resting and recovering. The coach could now face an assault charge after admitting he shoved the ump after he questioned a call at home plate.
Sam Phelps says he’s still recovering from the shock on Saturday when he says he was assaulted while on the job. He’s been an umpire for the past 15 years.
"As the game went on, he didn’t like what happened. I didn’t know what was coming," he said.
Phelps was working multiple select games Saturday afternoon at the Five Star Baseball Complex in The Colony when he says a coach from an Abilene team disagreed with multiple calls.
Phelps says seconds after he called a runner safe at home, the coach came out of the dugout upset, and words were exchanged.
"I ejected him, and I held up my hand and said, ‘We aren’t doing this, coach,’" he said. "And then he held up his hand to mock me saying, ‘Oh, we aren’t doing this.’ And then he shoved me right in the face, and I fell backwards and hit my head. And I was down for a while."
Ryan Walke was watching his 10-year-old son play on the neighboring field
"He was on the ground for 10 to 15 minutes," he recalled. "The ambulance came out there. Put him on a stretcher. Scary times."
Walke says he followed the coach out into the parking lot to keep him from leaving, but the coach got his car and drove away.
"First thing is first. He is the coach of the team. He needs to stay and apologize to the players," he said. "Not be able to leave. That was our biggest thing."
Phelps was scanned for a concussion and released from the hospital Saturday evening. Hours later, he decided to press assault charges and filed a police report with The Colony.
"If there are no consequences, this can continue," he said.
FOX 4 spoke to the coach by phone on Monday. He admitted his role in the confrontation and hopes he can one day shake Phelps’ hand and apologize.
"I don’t want to destroy anyone’s life," Phelp said. "But I would like this to be a learning opportunity to get this out there."
24 Sports, the organization hosting the tournament, did announce the coach and his team are now banned from participating in future tournaments.
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