Yikes.
Weatherford College pitcher Owen Woodward was kicked off the team after he attacked the opposing player who had just hit a home run off him.
Weatherford College said in a statement, “The WC student in question will face potential disciplinary action from the Office of Student Services up to and possibly including expulsion. The Weatherford College Police Department is also investigating the incident and has taken statements.”
We are shocked and disappointed at what happened in our game today,” the team’s coach said in a statement. “We do not condone this type of behavior. We have worked hard to build a program with the highest of standards. We are completely embarrassed by this incident, and we apologize to North Central Texas College and the fans of WC baseball. This type of behavior cannot be tolerated.”
Why yes, tackle baseball has never really caught on.
Even Ralph Branca, who was the pitcher in this most crushing of all home runs, didn’t stoop to that…
Ethics Alarms 
It gets crazier. The batter was suspended two games for “taunting” (he apparently used an expletive, and it wasn’t the first time in the game)… OK, reasonable enough. But every member of his team who came onto the field in defense of their teammate was also suspended. That’s all but two players, so they can’t field a team and must forfeit both games. Both are against… you guessed it, Weatherford.
The result is that Weatherford gets two wins they don’t need to earn on the field because their player was tackled by the opposing pitcher after hitting a home run. (Both teams forfeited the game in which the incident happened.
The story is here.
In the words of the great 20th century philosophers, Lennon and McCartney, “la la how the life goes on.”
Lousy syntax. Should read: Weatherford gets two wins because their pitcher tackled an opposing player.
That was one HELL of a tackle!
“Only in Texas, folks.”
Of course, there was this a few weeks ago in Florida, near, you guessed it, Disney World:
https://nypost.com/2022/03/30/crazy-video-shows-runner-get-sucker-punched-at-florida-hs-track-meetideo-shows-runner-get-sucker-punched-at-florida-hs-track-meet/?msclkid=1df01e56c3ec11eca90fee378a233329
“Florida Man” in training.
The pitcher’s crack team of lawyers are offering up a unique defense.
The team’s coach said in a statement: “We have worked hard to build a program with the highest of standards.”
The lawyers argue their client did NOT lead with his head but instead addressed the opposing player with his shoulder, exactly meeting the school’s “highest standards.”
I thought the same thing as well. At first, I thought the pitcher may have speared the batter. But he sure did launch himself. Looked the Chuck Cecil, the Guided Missle.
Don’t forget “Bra!”
I had to stop and think about “What’s going on here” for a minute… So defending your teammate from physical abuse by the opposing team is grounds for suspension? Why? Is it because the teammate they are defending was the first to behave badly? Still seems like you should be able to restrain the attacker without a significant penalty.
I think weatherford should offer to make it a dual forefeit for those two games as well… but I’m unsure. The rest of the team didn’t jump in to back up their pitcher. Any opinion on this one Jack?
Yeah, I think I’ll have to do an update. I didn’t examine the episode beyond the video, because attacking a runner like that as he runs the bases is astounding. Pitchers have started fights with players who trash-talk on the way to first, and even after a home run trot, but not like that.
Unwritten rules of the game and team loyalty REQUIRE that players go to the aid of a team mate being attacked. Typically they do so knowing sanctions will follow, but you can’t make the punishment that severe.