At UMPS CARE, we have take our creed, Helping People Is An Easy Call, seriously.
When we heard about softball umpire Kristi Moore getting punched in the face by an angry mom who was unhappy with a call on the field during a game for 12-year-olds, we wanted to show our support for Kristi – and for all of the umpires and sports officials facing verbal and physical abuse.
We teamed up with the Atlanta Braves and Kristi made the Play Ball call before the Braves game Friday night. Kristi and her family enjoyed the Braves game, and she definitely was overwhelmed by the support she has received from the umpire and baseball communities.
The story has generated a lot of media attention, including a column by Paul Newberry of the Associated Press and a segment on Good Morning America.
But as Kristi told Paul Newberry, “I didn’t ask to be the poster child for officials’ abuse, but here I am. My prayer is that moving forward, something good will come from this and we begin to change across all sports in how we treat our officials.”
Amen.
We couldn’t agree more.
Learn more about what UMPS CARE is doing to train teens in umpiring and leadership skills and to provide them with a direct line of employment and mentorship from veteran umpires through our Official Leadership Program. We are always looking for educators/instructors and ideas!
What a difference a week makes! A week ago, Kristi Moore posted about the phsyical abuse she received following a softball game. This past weekend, She got to enjoy a night with her boyfriend and kids in Atlanta, where she delivered the pre-game Play Ball call.