Laurel softball umpire speaks out after attack

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Kristi Moore, the umpire who was attacked after a game, spoke to WDAM regarding the incident and the worldwide umpire shortage.

Moore stated that a parent became irate after a call Moore made at second base. According to Moore, the coaches and other officials had no opposition to the call.

According to reports, the parent was asked to leave but came back after the game concluded and confronted Moore.

Moore says abuse to umpires, whether physical or verbal, is commonplace across the world, leading to an umpire shortage.

“This is not a Laurel thing or a Mississippi thing,” said Moore. “This is a nationwide thing for officials across the board. It’s harder and harder, every weekend because of the abuse that umpires and officials across the board are experiencing.”

Moore wants people to understand that umpires are just human.

“Officials in any sport are expected to be perfect and we’re not,” said Moore. “We never will be.”

“From tee-ball all the way up to major leagues, If you watch those games in college and whatever, they make a mistake. We’re all human. We’re all going to make a mistake. It’s a ballgame.”

Moore experienced a severe contusion and nerve damage in her left eye, but it won’t stop her from umpiring.

She hopes that her story will bring awareness to the umpire shortage and brings consequences for similar actions.

“There definitely needs to be stricter consequences and laws to stop and to deter this from happening to anyone else,” said Moore.

There was a bill introduced in the legislature that would make assaulting a referee or umpire a felony, but the bill died on the calendar.

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